


The Right Man for the Job

by ItsLevisBitch



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Dirty Talk, Emotional Sex, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Hand Jobs, Light Angst, M/M, Masturbation, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past EreJean, Resolved Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Switching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-07-13
Packaged: 2018-05-28 01:34:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 92,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6309034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ItsLevisBitch/pseuds/ItsLevisBitch
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren wasn’t prepared- or qualified- when his eccentric boss gave him his new assignment. It sounded easy enough; deal with a reclusive author who was a bit on the rude side. What he hadn’t been expecting was an antisocial, oddly charming, and admittedly attractive man with a knack for insulting him. But somehow, that didn’t deter Eren. No- he was determined to make his way into Levi’s life one way or another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Mondays

**Author's Note:**

> My second multi-chapter Ereri fic. I love writing this pair in ridiculously fluffy situations because this fandom has a lot of angst. I write fanfic for fun and decide to share it in case others get enjoyment out of it, so don’t take this too seriously. It’s also my first attempt at first person POV so there are most likely some awkward tense changes that shouldn’t be there. If it’s distracting let me know, I’ll try and fix it.  
> Also, I originally had this tagged wrong because I'm a fuck, but if you've read my other stuff you already know I don't know how to work AO3. But hey, I fixed it.  
> Updates once a week. Slow burn, but I promise it will earn that explicit tag eventually.

Mornings were never, and will never be my friend. The shrill cry of my alarm clock alerted me to this fact each morning, but it never got easier. I flipped over in my small bed, blindly tapping around on my bedside table to try and shut it off. It may have been easier if I opened my eyes and actually looked, but Eren Jaeger never took the easy way. After a few misguided attempts, the alarm finally stopped going off.

I begrudgingly sat up from my bed and began to stretch. Monday mornings were especially troublesome. I was surprised Armin hadn’t rushed in, afraid that I had thrown my alarm clock out the window again. I threw the covers off of me, shivering at the cool air that I was met with. I could already smell something delicious cooking, meaning Armin had gotten up and made something for himself. Maybe if I was lucky enough he made extra of whatever that heavenly smell was.

I went into the bathroom that connected into my bedroom, flinching when I turned the lights on. I used the bathroom, showered quickly, then dried off. My brown hair was in complete disarray, but it really always was. I tried to push it back so it would stay out of my eyes because according to my sister it looked “more professional” that way, but it never stayed. I sighed, letting it fall as it naturally did. I liked my hair the way it was, anyway. It was short enough so I could look somewhat like an adult, but long enough to come down and frame my blue green eyes. After I dried my hair and body, I went back into my room to pick out my clothes for the day. I usually just wore a form fitting button up with a tie and dress pants, but for some reason I felt like switching it up. I grabbed a dark green Henley shirt from my closet and black dress pants and threw them on. I may not be the most muscular guy out there, but the tight fitting shirt I chose today definitely highlighted my lithe muscle. I wonder why I felt like trying today.

After I was dressed and ready to face the real world, I opened my door to the rest of my small apartment. My best friend since middle school, Armin, shared it with me. At first, it was because we were both broke college students who needed to share what small amount of money we had. Now he could easily get himself a nice apartment in a better area if he wanted, but I think we’ve both gotten a little attached to being around one another. And there’s the issue that I may not be a college student anymore, but I was sure as hell still broke.

The amazing smell from earlier only intensified as I stepped into our kitchen. You can’t really call it a kitchen since it only had an oven, some cabinets, a fridge and a tiny kitchen island in the center. I plopped myself down on one of the barstools on the island, watching as Armin stood over the stove, with his back towards me. His chin length blonde hair was pulled up today, probably since he was cooking. He was wearing a black t-shirt that I couldn’t see the front of and a pair of sweatpants. God, I envied the fact that he worked from home so much. I could only imagine the joy of wearing sweats all day long.

“What smells so good?” I grumbled.

 ” I’m making pancakes with strawberries,” he said, not even a bit surprised at me entrance.”And yes, there’s enough for you.”

God bless Armin Arlert. My stomach growled loudly at the mention of food, and we both chuckled. “Thanks buddy. I promise, when I’m a famous author like you who gets to lounge around in my pjs all day, I’ll cook for you.”

He turned around, two plates of food in his hands. He rolled his eyes at me before placing a pile of pancakes in front of me. “Har har, Eren. And for the record, _I_ probably write more hours a day then you work.”

He was most definitely right. I saw him sit on our couch and type on his laptop for about seven hours straight once. Once Armin gets an idea for a book, he never stops. It’s unbelievable how passionate he is about his work. I wish I had something like that in my life, but it just never worked that way for me. I went to college, got a basically useless degree in English because I had no idea what the hell I was doing with my life, and I had been proofreading Armin’s work for as long as I could remember. When I graduated, Armin had already published his first book with a huge company called Wings of Freedom Publishing. Almost all of their authors were huge successes, including my blond best friend. When I starting looking for a job, it turns out that no one wanted a 21-year-old with a bachelor’s in English with no experience. But leave it to Armin to help me out. Wings of Freedom just so happened to have an open position for an internship, and he managed to get my name in for an interview. For some strange reason, the interviewer liked me, and I ended up interning at one of the largest and most successful publishing companies of all time.

I didn’t expect it to be much. It’s not like I was an editor or anything. I mostly worked as an assistant to the editors there. I would go to their author’s homes and pick up what they had written, make sure they made their deadlines, and deliver lots of coffee. It was simple work, but dealing with writers could be a handful. Some were eccentric, some were incredibly interesting, and some were downright assholes. I almost never got to read anything they wrote unless they explicitly gave me permission. Sometimes I made friends with them, and other times we never spoke a word. This job was really just to get me experience for something better. But then again, I still didn’t know what it is I want to be doing.

“Eren?” I blinked at Armin who was staring at me with a concerned look.

“Yeah?”

“You spaced off and haven’t touched your food.”

I looked down at my plate and realized I must have been daydreaming again. It was a common occurrence for me to completely zone out and spend minutes, even hours, just thinking to myself. “Sorry about that, did you say something important?” I asked, finally getting to my food.

He had seated himself down next to me and was already half done with his food. “Nope. Just didn’t want my glorious food to go to waste.”

I was going to say something about him being a cocky little mushroom, but once I bit into his pancakes, any snippy remark I had died immediately. I ate greedily, not even trying to hide how good they really were, even when a smug grin crossed Armin’s features.

By the time I finished, it was almost time for me to be at work. I had to stop off at the coffee shop before work every morning and deliver the editors their first dose of caffeine. I’d never seen a more sleep deprived group of people in my life, so they deserved it. I said goodbye to Armin who probably didn’t even hear me since he had already opened up his laptop, then grabbed my keys from the counter and walked out. I locked the door behind me and stepped out into the little courtyard of our apartment complex. It had stone floor and a fountain in the middle with plants surrounding it.

I jogged around to the parking lot and unlocked my old, beat up car. I wasn’t sure what year it is or even what the make was, but it got me where I needed to go. I silently thanked god or any other deity up there when I put the keys in and the ignition started.

My first stop was the small coffee shop just a block away from Wings of Freedom. It was across the street from a Starbucks, so it was rarely very busy, meaning I could get in and out quickly. I started to think I may be the sole reason it stayed in business. I parked in my usual place, then went into the shop. It was a quaint little place, but it had some of the best coffee I’d ever tried. The brown wooden floors creaked as I walked up to the counter where my favorite barista was already waiting to take my order.

“Morning Eren!” he chirped happily.

I came up to the counter and smiled back at him warmly. “Morning Marco, how’s everything?”

“Pretty good. The usual for you?” The freckled boy asked me. I nodded, already getting my money out from my wallet. He got started on my order right away. Marco was the kind of guy who you can’t possibly dislike. He’s friendly, cute, and almost always in a good mood. I’d be lying if I said I never tried to flirt with him.

It was only about two minutes before Marco came around the corner with a drink holder with four steaming cups of coffee in it. I took it from him and set the money on the counter. “Thanks man. Keep the change,” I said with another smile. He thanked me and returned behind the counter after.

“See you tomorrow!” he said as I was walking out of the building. Yes, I would see him tomorrow since my life is so monotonous that I have pretty much every minute planned to the exact detail. I sighed as I sat back in my car and set the assortment of coffee down on my passenger seat. Only one more block until my work day officially started.

I had been working at W.O.F for about six months, but the building never ceased to amaze me when I parked. It’s easily the biggest one in the area, and probably the most beautiful. It wasn’t glass or concrete like some of the buildings; it’s almost all stone. It gave off the impression of pure class and dignity, and I didn’t even appreciate architecture that much. The company’s logo- two wings, one black and one white, were painted on the side of the building along with the name.

After I got done admiring, I picked up the drinks and made my way to the building. I climbed the stone steps in the front and opened the glass doors, stepping inside the massive building. People were always hustling and running around in here, and it’s only the first floor. I ignored them as I stepped across the floor going towards the elevator. I clicked the up button and waited for the elevator. At this point, I almost had the time it would take for it to get here memorized. And I wondered why I was still single.

It opened thirty-four seconds later (I was five seconds off, dammit) and I got in along with a few others who had joined me. I nodded my head in greeting to them as they did the same. I pushed the button to the twentieth floor where I spent most of my day and waited once again.

I took a deep breath as I excited the elevator, preparing to face my coworkers. I genuinely liked all of them, but like the authors, they could be a lot to handle. I think it just comes from the job; there’s no such thing as a completely normal author or editor.

I was immediately greeted to a variety of people running around with papers, files, and coffee in their hands all at once. If you want a stable working environment, don’t work at W.O.F. I bypassed all of them and went off into the corner where the editors I was in charge of worked at. All four of their desks were close together because they often shared their work or teamed up for certain pieces. I came into the area and took out the first coffee.

“One large coffee, black for Oluo,” I said, placing it on his desk. Oluo was a somewhat older guy, or at least he looked it, with brownish hair styled in a way that looked almost military. He was sort of an ass, but you get used to it. Not a great conversationalist, though.

“Thanks kid,” he said as he always did to me.

“One green tea for Eld,” I said, placing it on the blond man’s desk. Eld was a really nice guy. He kept his hair in a small bun almost every day. We were actually pretty good friends. He is the kind of person who can be harsh when needed, but also genuinely nice.

“Thanks Eren.” At least he used my name.

“One vanilla latte, which may be the gayest drink known to man, for Gunther,” I said with a smirk. Gunther was a bit of a hot head, and after I had gotten to know him, I started to fuck with him a bit. Seeing his reactions were always entertaining.

“Fuck off, Eren,” he grumbled.

“And one peppermint tea for…wait, where’s Petra?” I asked, seeing her desk empty. Petra almost never missed work unless it was for very serious things. She was very short and had shoulder length auburn hair. Petra was also a good friend of mine, but it was almost impossible not to be friends with her. She’s insanely sweet and nice.

“Oh, you didn’t hear?” Eld said, pushing his chair back and leaning in it. “She had her baby over the weekend. “

My eyes widened at the news. I knew Petra was pregnant, but she wasn’t due for another two weeks. Petra was married to the head of the company, Erwin Smith. They did indeed meet on the job, but it never interfered with their work. They were the picture of a happy couple, which is why I got so nervous over the news of the child. Was something wrong?

“Calm down,,” Oluo said with a chuckle. “She’s fine, the kids fine, everybody’s fine.”

I visibly relaxed after he told me that. “Oh, thank god.”

“You’ve got bigger problems, anyway,” Gunther added darkly.

I leaned up against Petra’s empty desk and raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him. “And what would that be?” I scoffed.

He leaned in closer to me and smiled oddly. The other men watched our exchange with interest. “I heard Hanji Zoe is looking for you.”

 _Hanji Zoe_ , I thought to myself. They were the editor in chief if I wasn’t mistaken. I didn’t know much about them except that they are supposedly the most eccentric person at the office and non-binary, so I should only use gender neutral pronouns. But why would I have any business meeting with them? I was only an intern, and I hadn’t even fucked up that badly yet.

“Shit,” Eld said cryptically. I looked over at him and saw he was giving me a sympathetic smile.

“Why is that bad?” I asked, a bit of nervousness showing in my tone.             

Gunther barked out a laugh and shook his head. “You’ll have to find out for yourself,” he said cryptically. I brushed him off, assuming he was just trying to freak me out. One of my few good qualities was that I could get alone with just about anyone. Well, except Jean, but fuck that guy. I’ll get to him later.

“Any authors need a delivery or a pick up?” I asked no one in particular.

“Go see Hanji first,” Gunther answered. “They said it was important that you see them before you do anything.”

Well, alright. Maybe I started to get nervous then. Had I done something really stupid without realizing it? I tried to think of something, anything that could have caused this, but nothing in particular came to mind. Wait, could it be about Armin? No, that wasn’t right. Armin never did anything wrong. And besides, his editor would have gotten to him first.

“Hey, dumbass!” Oluo yelled, snapping me out of my daydream. “Get going, they said right away, remember?”

“R-right,” I mumbled, heading towards Hanji’s office. I’d only ever been in here once, for my very first interview. But Hanji hadn’t been the one to interview me, it had actually been Petra. I had never met Hanji personally, but they couldn’t be that bad. I stopped once I reached the office, with their name written across the door in gold lettering. I cleared my throat before raising my hand. Why was I so nervous? This would be fine. If I could handle authors, I could handle Hanji. I knocked twice, holding my breath as I did.

“Come in!” a voice called happily from behind the door.

I opened the door cautiously and stepped into the office. The first thing I noticed was the entire place was completely disorganized. The bookshelves off to the right were piled high with books, papers, and some things I honestly couldn’t identify. Papers were all over the floor, strewn about with no order to be seen. I couldn’t even see the desk in the room since books and binders were thrown atop it, covering it completely. Then, I saw Hanji. They were smiling widely at me and had large square glasses sitting on the bridge of their nose. Their hair was done up in a messy ponytail and was a brownish red color.

“Uh, Eren Jaeger. You wanted to see me?” I closed the door behind me and gulped audibly.

They only smiled wider once I revealed my name. They shot up from their desk and walked over to me, eyeing me up and down. They had on a fitted black vest on top of a yellow button up along with gray slacks. The way they stared at me made me immediately uncomfortable. “Oh, this is perfect!”

Now I was very, very confused. But it didn’t seem like I was in trouble, which was good. “What’s perfect?” I asked, backing up as they got closer and closer to me.

“You, silly boy!” They exclaimed loudly. “Petra told me you were cute, but wow! I mean, your eyes are stunning, your skin is perfectly tan, and you obviously keep in shape.”

I blinked at them, suddenly feeling a lot less comfortable than I did when I walked in. Which was saying something. “Um, what the hell is going on?” I blurted out. Good job, Eren- always curse and raise your voice to your boss. That gets you places.

They looked at me blankly before breaking out into a laugh. Just when I thought I had really messed up, they shook their head and slung their arm around me. They laughed loudly and for quite a while, which somehow eased me slightly. “Oh, oh god. He is going to love you. Please sit Eren, I’ll explain everything.”

More confused than ever, I slowly made my way to the chair sitting in front of their desk and sat down. If they were anyone else but my boss, I would have bolted already. Don’t get me wrong; they seemed pretty nice, but I was genuinely terrified. Hanji sat down across from me, but I could barely see due to the stacks of papers.

“Okay! Let’s get started,” they said, shoving some of the papers away so I could see. “You know Petra had her child, correct?”

I nodded once, waiting for her to go on.

“Good. Well, Petra has this author. He’s brilliant. I mean, we’re talking absolutely amazing here. He’s also a close personal friend of mine.”

I kept nodding, trying to get what I was supposed to be doing. “Have I ever picked up a manuscript from him?”

They chuckled lightly and shook their head. “Definitely not. You see, he’s quite particular about who comes and goes in his home. I handpicked Petra, and even she had to go through a ridiculously thorough process before becoming what you may call friends with him. Even though she is a full-fledged editor unlike you, she personally picked up his works and delivered him everything.”

I furrowed my eyebrows, contemplating the new information about this mystery guy. That was strange, even for here. Interns almost always did grunt work like traveling back and forth to get new works.

“But,” they continued, “Petra is on maternity leave for three months, so she obviously can’t pick up his work. And god knows he won’t leave his apartment to come here, so that’s out of the question. Not to mention he’s too afraid to email anything because he doesn’t want it getting out online.”

He didn’t leave his apartment? I wasn’t sure who he was, but he was sounding stranger and stranger by the minute. “So what exactly do you want me to do?”

They clasped their hands together on the newly cleared desk, smiling devilishly at me. “Petra said that you may be a good choice to replace her until she gets back. And from what I’ve seen, I agree completely.”

“Me?” I said skeptically. “Why not send whoever is going to be editing his work?” Someone had to be editing in Petra’s place, and it certainly wasn’t me.

“Because, he will only accept who I or Petra recommend, and that my sweet boy, is you.”

I exhaled loudly and say back in my seat. This was weird, no doubt about it. I was getting put in the hands of a reclusive author who was probably a lonely drunk who stopped giving a shit about life a long time ago. Okay, maybe I was jumping to conclusions, but that’s what it sounded like. I mean, he wouldn’t even take the time to leave his apartment when a friend of his obviously needed him to. “But Hanji,” I urged, “why are you two recommending _me?”_

They shuffled around in their chair, eyes never leaving mine. “It takes a certain kind of person to put up with him, and you are the right kind of person. Please, Eren. I promise the moment you can’t handle it we will figure something else out.” Their eyes were pleading with me now. Fuck, I couldn’t say no to my boss when they needed me so badly. And, how bad could this be? Everyone had their quirks and oddities, and I would never judge anyone for them, so maybe I really was the right person for this job.

No one would ever say I backed down from a challenge, so my answer was clear to me. “Okay, I’ll do it,” I said firmly.

Hanji jumped out of their chair once again and clapped loudly. “Oh, thank you so much Eren!”  I swore they were about to come around and hug me before restraining themselves. “Would you like to know more about him?” They asked, sitting down once more.

“Sure,” I said.

“Alright. He goes by the pseudonym “H.S.”, which stands for Humanity’s Strongest,’ but don’t tell anyone that. Actually, don’t tell him I told you that. His real name is Levi, and boy is he something.”

I sat there waiting for them to continue, but they didn’t. I had never heard of an author by the name of H.S., but then again I never keep up on new books unless they were written by my own authors. “And?” I pressed.

“Oh, right! Levi absolutely loathes anyone or anything that isn’t sparkling clean, so make sure you always take your shoes off before you enter his house and look nice. He drinks tea, never coffee, but good luck finding somewhere he’ll drink it at. He’s completely blunt and honest, so I hope you have a thick skin.” They trailed off, staring at me with a fond expression. “Most importantly, please give him time. I know he comes off as abrasive and maybe even rude, but he’ll soften up eventually. Especially for you, Eren.”

My mind was whirling with the new information. This Levi guy sounded neurotic and sort of intimidating. I kept trying to picture him in my head, but nothing could fit him. I still didn’t understand why Hanji seemed to think we would get along at all. Then again, if Levi could be a close personal friend of someone who keeps their office looking like this, maybe I stood a chance.

“Okay. Anything specific I need to know before I go over there?”

“I’ll give you the address and times you’ll need to be there, but other than that you’re good to go! I’ve already told him someone would be coming by today to get his newest work.”

I froze and stared back at them. “Wait, _today?_ When today?” I asked frantically.

They rolled up their sleeve and looked down at their watch. A nervous expression crossed their face as they looked back up to me.” It seems I’ve kept you for a little too long. I told him you’d be there at ten, and he hates being late.”

I looked up at the clock resting on the wall above us. It was nine thirty. Okay, not bad. W.O.F was pretty centrally located, so most places I pick up works for are about a ten minute drive. “Where does he live?”

“About fifteen minutes away, you know the apartment complex down on the outskirts of town?”

I nodded. Armin and I had been foolish enough to look into them when we needed a place to live. They sold giant condos, fit for only those who could afford true luxury. Needless to say, we kept looking. If this guy lived there, he was very successful at his work. Hanji continued on, telling me his apartment number and the code to get into his building. They said he would often ignore anyone trying to buzz into his home since he rarely had visitors and assumed they were salesmen.

Before I stood up and left, Hanji cleared her throat and gave me a strange smile. “Before you leave, can I ask you a personal question?” they inquired.

I eyed them nervously. They were my boss, so it couldn’t be anything too weird, right? “Uh, go ahead.”

Pleased with my answer, they beamed at me and scooted closer to me. “Eren, are you gay?”

I stared at them blankly for a few seconds before composing myself. And by composing myself, I mean blushing like a teenager and stuttering out an answer. I didn’t have a problem admitting that I was in fact gay, but it caught me off guard. I was pretty sure the whole office knew because of one drunken Christmas party where I may or may not of hit on the entire male population of the office. “W-what does that have to do with anything?”

They only continued to smile at me and shrugged. “Just a theory I have.”

I think I finally understood the warnings I received from the other editors this morning. The way Hanji looked at me was honestly terrifying. I decided that answering with the truth might save me a lot of trouble later. “Um, yeah, I’m gay.”

I don’t think I had ever seen someone look so happy as Hanji did in that moment. What the hell just happened again? “That’s amazing, Eren! Okay, okay better get going. Levi will totally flip if you’re late on the first day.”

I thanked Hanji, but I wasn’t really sure for what. I sort of bolted out of there. Hanji had a strange way of intimidating you by scaring the shit out of you. I was certainly more interested in meeting Levi now since they were friends.

I went back over to my little corner by the authors where I had set my keys. They were all busy reading and typing, so I doubt they even noticed my presence. I admired all of them, really. They were hard workers who didn’t stop at anything to finish whatever it was they were working on. “I’m heading out guys,” I said loudly.

All of them hummed in response without taking their eyes off of their papers. I laughed lightly before heading out towards to elevators once again.

By the time I got back into my car, it was 9:40. I wanted to try and pick up tea from the shop Marco works in, but Hanji had emphasized how important it was to be on time, and you never know what traffic is going to do. I started instead to go to the apartment complex that he lived in.

My thoughts were on Levi, a man I had never met, the entire time. Would he be older? Was he attractive? I doubted it; it was more likely he was the typical author who didn’t take care of himself.  Maybe he had some weird physical problem, making him uncomfortable to be around other people. Or he could just be a complete asshole who hates interacting with anyone he doesn’t have to. But he was a writer, and in my experience, all writers at least have passion for what they do.

The only things I knew about him were his name and the facts that he hated being late and dirt. That wasn’t much to go on. It’s not as if I would be spending a lot of time around him anyway. We would most likely barely speak to each other, then go on with our lives. Nothing more, nothing less. So why was I so worried about making a first impression? For some reason, I wanted him to like me enough to willingly let me into his home; not just because I was Petra’s replacement.

I had lost track of time due to my thoughts. I was already parking my car into the lot when I saw I had five

minutes left until I was due there. Good, at least I wouldn’t be late. I got out of my car and locked the doors behind me. The front of the building was pretty simple; there was a plain glass door in the front with a keypad off to the side to enter the code to the house. I went over to it, punched in the numbers Hanji had given me, and heard a buzzing noise as I was let in. I opened the surprisingly heavy door and walked in.

I went into the entry way and saw that there was an elevator and a set of stairs off to the right. Deciding to play it safe, I took the elevator for time. Hanji told me he lived on the third floor, so I hit the number three once I was inside. It wasn’t long before the doors were opening to a brilliantly white hallway covered in glass and white carpeting. I stepped out and looked for the number she had given me that lead to his home.

Once I found the door, I felt my nervousness return to me. It was fine-I could handle this. And even if I couldn’t, Hanji had given me a way out, right? I hesitantly knocked twice, fighting off the urge to shut my eyes as I did so.


	2. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren meets the mysterious author he was assigned to.

“It’s open,” a muffled, male voice called. It was low, but oddly smooth, even from behind the door. I grabbed the doorknob and twisted, readying myself for whatever waited for me.

I didn’t see anyone when I walked in, so I took the time to look at my surroundings. Off to the right was a beautiful finished kitchen with all marble counter tops. It was big enough to have a small table in the center, but still with plenty of room to move around to cook. The living area was attached to it in the center of the room. There was one, long white couch with a clear glass coffee table in the center. A television set was across from it, along with two chairs on either side of the couch. A long staircase was off to the left. The most stunning thing about the room was he wall directly in front of me. It was clear glass all around, giving a view of the city unlike anything I had ever seen. There was a door leading to an outdoor balcony, and I was somehow positive that it was where Levi must write his works. I closed the door behind me and looked around for the man I was supposed to be collecting from. Off in the far corner of the room, I saw a large brown armchair directed towards the window. I couldn’t see his face, but I saw his legs propped up on the ledge. He was wearing dress pants, so my assumption of him being a bum may not be right. I took my shoes off, remembering what Hanji told me before.

“Excuse me Levi,” I started in my most professional tone,” I’m- “

“Petra’s replacement,” he said, cutting me off. Without the door in the way, I could clearly make out his voice. It was just as smooth as I had heard before, but even more so now. It made me want to lean in on his every word as he spoke. But still, he was already getting on my nerves.

“I was going to say Eren Jaeger, because I have a name and all,” I retorted, somewhat indignantly. Well, that was professional of me.

I heard a deep sigh before he rustled out of the chair and stood up. Alright, I was definitely off with my previous description. The first thing I noticed is that even from this distance, I could tell he was short. I wasn’t exactly tall, but he was at least six inches shorter than me. His face was angular with sharp, defined features. His small, gray eyes were exotic looking as he stared off at the window in front of him. His dark, raven hair was styled into an undercut somewhat similar to Oluo’s, but he pulled it off much better. A few strands of his hair hung in his face, framing it perfectly. He wore a crisp black button up that fit to perfection and stood out against his pale skin. He definitely hadn’t given up on life since he clearly had a toned body underneath his clothing. He may not be conventionally attractive, but he was gorgeous in a way that was completely different than anything I had ever seen.

“I hardly think it matters,” he said lowly, leaning up against the wall. He still hadn’t even looked over at me. My face twitched as I took a deep breath, reeling my anger in. But then again, should I be holding back? Petra recommended me because she knows me, and I was supposedly the type of person who could deal with this guy, so maybe I should just be myself. I let a smug smile grow in my face before I resigned to do just that.

“As riveting as watching you blatantly ignore me is, all I need is your work. The I’ll get out of your way so you can back to sitting in your chair and doing whatever the hell it is that you were doing before.” That got his attention.

He finally turned his head to look at me, and I grew satisfied as I noticed that he looked the slightest bit surprised by my words. Or surprised at something, I couldn’t be sure what. He let his gaze linger on me, and I felt completely exposed underneath it. Damn, he was intimidating.

“You’re an editor?” he asked me. It seemed as if he had either forgotten what I had just said, or decided to ignore it. I was betting on the second option.

“No,” I said. “I’m an intern. I thought Hanji told you?”

He frowned and stepped away from the wall, walking over to the kitchen. I noticed that even though he was short, his stride was quick and powerful. He made it to the kitchen and started to fill up a tea kettle with water, flicking his eyes to me every once and a while. “They didn’t mention it. Just told me someone Petra knows well would be coming over.”

I started to feel awkward just standing by his door, but I wasn’t sure he would be okay with me coming in any further. I chose to keep standing there, putting my hands in my pockets. I watched as he reached into one of the cabinets and took out a tin of what I assumed must be tea. I was drawn to his every movement, watching with extreme interest. He was doing something as mundane as making tea, but it had me captured anyway.

“I’m surprised you even let me in without meeting me first,” I said, trying to start some sort of conversation since he didn’t seem to want to give me his work yet.

“And why is that?” he said back emotionlessly.

“Well, Hanji mentioned you don’t exactly like strangers coming into your home.”                                                                                                                               

He stopped what he was doing and peered up at me. Shit, those eyes were intense. I thought they were pure grey at first, but now that I look back, there might be some blue in there. “And what else did Hanji happen to mention about me?” His tone had grown darker now, as if he was angry that they had said anything at all.

I fidgeted where I stood, shifting back and forth on my feet. “Uh, not much. Just that.” I swallowed audibly as his eyes continued to bore into me.

“You’re a terrible liar, Jaeger.” I was shocked he even remembered my name. He wasn’t wrong, either. I was horrible at concealing things, especially my emotions. I was embarrassingly easy to read around almost everyone, but Levi made it impossible to lie to him.

“Well, they said you liked to be clean, so I should take my shoes off and try and look nice. And also that you are sort of, um, abrasive? I think was the word they used. Oh, and you don’t leave your apartment.” Fuck, I hadn’t meant to say all of that. I was pretty sure my face was heating up just from the look he was giving me. It wasn’t angry, or even smug, maybe amused?

“You don’t think before you talk, do you?” Okay, he was definitely amused now. He started to pour the now hot water into a mug he had set out, then stopped once it was full.

“Not really,” I said back honestly. My lack of a filter had often gotten me into fights when I was younger and cost me a few jobs after I grew up.

He went to grab the mug of tea, but stopped abruptly. He looked like he was contemplating something or trying to make a decision. I waited patiently for him, surprised that I was no longer angry at him. It was strange how the small amount of interaction we had made me completely forget that I had even been upset. After a few seconds, he tensed almost non noticeably, but I had been observing him closely, so I did pick up on it.

“You like tea?” he asked me.

I raised my eyebrows at him. I wasn’t expecting him to ask me to stay, let alone make me tea. But hey, I wasn’t complaining. “Yeah, more than coffee.”

He cracked the tiniest hint of a smile at that, but turned around to grab another mug soon enough that I thought I had imagined it. He filled up another cup, then grabbed them both and went back around the kitchen to the living area. He placed both of them down on coasters, then sat down on the pristine white couch. He slung an arm around the back and looked over at me with a bored expression. I got the message, quickly walking over to him. I sat down a comfortable distance away from him on the couch. Not knowing what else to do, I tentatively reached out and picked up the hot cup of tea. It smelled amazing, and I only hoped it would taste as good. I took a sip, very aware that Levi’s eyes were on me the whole time. I was pleasantly surprised when it may have been even better tasting than it smelled.

“Wow,” I said. “How do you make it taste so good?” I asked.

He rolled his eyes at me and picked up his own cup. But instead of using the handle, he used the rim of the cup and tipped it into his mouth. I watched as he swallowed and his Adam’s apple bobbed, but tore my eyes away once I realized what I was doing. I prayed he didn’t notice. “It’s not that hard, you just have shitty taste. Probably survive off of Starbucks.” He grimaced, as if it personally offended him. “It just takes hot water and expensive as shit tea leaves.”

For a while, we sat in silence, drinking our tea. But it wasn’t uncomfortable at all. Well, at least for me. I had no idea how to read Levi, so he could be plotting my death, and I would be clueless. But it was almost…nice. I would usually try and fill the silence with pointless conversation, but there wasn’t any pressure for it.

“Hanji was wrong, you know,” he spoke up, breaking the silence.

“About what?” I said, setting down my cup and turning to face him. He wasn’t looking at me, rather staring off into the empty space.

“I do go outside. Occasionally.” The way he mumbled it reminded me of a little kid fighting to get his point across. I smiled and couldn’t help the small chuckle that left my lips. He turned his head to look at me, and for a second I was scared he thought I was laughing at him, but his expression softened once his eyes landed on me.

“I believe you,” I said back to him with a smile.

“You’d believe anything. You’re like a fucking puppy with those eyes.”

I scoffed and scooted closer towards him without realizing it. “What do my eyes have to do with anything?”

“They’re ridiculous,” he retorted without missing a beat. I tried to glare at him, but it was horribly ineffective compared to his. “They’re like…fucking Disney princess eyes.”

I tried oh so hard to stay mad at him, but I burst into laughter at his statement. My eyes have been complimented many times, but never have they been compared to a Disney princess. I laughed until tears formed in my eyes, not even aware that Levi hadn’t moved an inch and was silently watching me with a smirk on his face. He really wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. Sure he was a little eccentric and rough around the edges, but it was in an oddly good way.

“S-sorry, that was just really unexpected,” I managed to say after I collected myself.

“It’s fine, brat.”

Brat? I mean, sure I looked a little younger than him and maybe acted a bit childish in the beginning, but I still didn’t think I deserved that. I shrugged it off, glad that he was even talking to me. This was going a lot better than expected. Besides the fact that I still didn’t have his latest work. That was after all, the reason I came over here.

“I’ll go get it.” Shit, did I say that out loud? Or did Levi just read my mind? Oh fuck, can he do that? Maybe that’s the reason he doesn’t trust anyone or let anyone in his home.

“No, I didn’t read your mind. You wear your thoughts and emotions on your sleeve,” he said, getting up from the couch. Damn, I guess I was even more obvious than I knew. I watched as he circled around the couch and up to the stairs, walking up them briskly. After he went into another room, I let out a loud breath. Being around him made me uneasy, but not it a necessarily bad way. It was a good sort of nervous; the kind where you didn’t want to do something stupid because you want someone to like you so much. But then again, why would I care so much about what he thinks of me? I didn’t know anything about him. Still, I felt drawn to him. He was just interesting.

I heard a door opening, then saw him coming back down the stairs with a folder in his hands. I stood up, somewhat disappointed that I would have to be leaving soon. “I write about a chapter a week,” he said, handing me over the folder. “Sometimes less, sometimes more. Bring me the revisions Eld makes as soon as you can. I’ll text you whenever you need to come get more.”

The first thing I registered what that Eld was his editor. Petra must have given him the job. Then, I realized he wanted to text me, meaning he would have my phone number. I would be giving me number to Levi. Meaning, I could contact him if I wanted. I had a suspicion he wouldn’t enjoy that, though.

“I’ll get your number from Hanji later,” he continued. “Text me about stupid shit and I’ll block your fucking number.”

I took the folder, holding it gently. “Okay, sounds good.” I smiled at him, feeling as if this may work out pretty well after all.

“Oh, and Jaeger?” he said lowly. “If you even think of reading anything I write before it’s published, I’ll personally shove one of my books up your ass.”

I didn’t doubt that he was one hundred percent serious. But, I understood him completely. Armin was the same way about some of his writing. It’s just too personal to have some stranger read, even if it is going to be published. Because when Levi writes, he uses a fake name, meaning no one can ever link it to him. If I ever read something he wrote, I would know exactly who wrote it. “I would never do that,” I answered firmly.

He looked pleased with my answer, nodding his head curtly. “Good. I guess I’ll be seeing you around, then.”

The thought that I would be seeing him again made me unreasonably happy. I was smiling like an idiot, but Levi didn’t even comment on it. “Alright. I guess I should head back to the office.”

He nodded, then turned away from me and walked back over to where our empty mugs sat on the table. “Tell Shitty Glasses I said to stop telling interns lies about me.”

I laughed at the nickname he had given to Hanji. I could tell that even though he tried to act as if he didn’t care for them, he still did. Maybe I was getting better at reading him already. I went over to the door and put my shoes on slower than usual. I wanted to spend more time with Levi and get to know him, but I was out of excuses. But there would be a next time for sure. At least that was comforting.

I paused when I opened the door the leave, biting my lower lip. “Hey Levi?”

He sighed and turned towards me. “What?”

“Next time, I’ll bring the tea.” I couldn’t turn around to face him because I was sure he was scowling at the thought of tea made by anyone but him. I wanted to see if he accepted my offer. If he did, it meant he at least sort of tolerated me, right?”

“Sure. Just don’t expect me to like it.”

I exited the apartment without looking back, afraid I would do something stupid like blush in front of him. I didn’t know why, but I wanted Levi’s approval so fucking badly. The time I spent with him was short, but I found myself recounting all of our interactions as I took the elevator back down to the first floor. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, about him. He was a perfect way to break the cycle of my extremely boring life. Sure, he did sort of insult me and never called me by my first name, but he sure was… _something._ I decided then that I would make it my goal to get to know Levi as much as he would let me. Maybe he would even consider me a friend one day.

I got back into my car, my mood sinking when I realized I was only going back to work. I saw that I managed to spend a half hour at Levi’s. It seemed like we only talked for a few minutes at the most. I was pretty sure no one noticed my absence at the office since they weren’t due for another coffee break for a few more hours. I sighed and started to pull out of the parking lot, giving one last glance to the building. The thought that I would be back picked up my mood a little.

Once I was walking into the chaotic mess that was the twentieth floor of the Wings of Freedom, my good mood from before was completely gone. It wasn’t that I hated my job; I was just bored with it. Then again, it’s logical that I would get bored of delivering papers and getting coffee. I stepped past the editor who was sitting on the floor, desperately organizing files and went back to the corner where I saw the now group of three I report to. They were all still working and probably hadn’t even realized I was gone.

“Eld?” I said cautiously. One thing you learn quickly when working with editors; disturb them at the wrong time and there’s a good chance you’ll never do it again.

“Is that you Eren?” he said, not looking away from his computer screen.

“Yep. I have the first chapter of your new author, L- “I stopped, realizing Levi may not want his name disclosed to anyone, not even his editor. “Er, H.S. “

He turned his chair and looked at me, immediately taking the file from my hands. I felt irrationally protective of his work, but I know Eld is one of the best in the field. He opened it and skimmed over it, probably trying to refresh his memory on the author. “You met him?” he asked me.

I almost cracked a smile at the memory of meeting him, but kept myself from doing so. “I did. He said he gets about a chapter done a week and he’d like your changes a soon as possible.”

Eld hummed, then closed the folder, setting it on his desk. Like Hanji’s, there didn’t seem to be any sort of organization. But he had never missed a deadline, so I guessed it worked for him. “You know; he won’t even let me meet him. How am I supposed to edit someone’s work if I can’t even meet them?”

I felt like he wasn’t really asking me, but I was compelled to answer anyway. “Well, there’s always email. He came off as a pretty private person.” I was defending Levi, who I had literally just met, over a friend and coworker. What was happening to me?”

He shrugged and stretched his arms over his head. “Good point. From what I’ve heard, I should count myself lucky I don’t have to deal with him.”

I grit my teeth and managed a fake smile. I know I have anger issues, but this is ridiculous. I was already protective over Levi. Maybe I just caught him on a good day; he could turn out to be a complete dick like everyone seemed to think he was. I shook my head, preparing myself for making copies of things or whatever task I would be given next.

“Oh and Eren, Hanji said to report to them when you got back,” Eld yelled to me as I was walking away.

I groaned, stopping in my tracks and turning around to Hanji’s office. The weird interaction we had this morning was enough to last me for a very long time, but the universe generally hated me, so here I went again. What could they possibly need now? I trudged onwards, only slightly aware of the other workers all looking at me with sympathetic eyes.

I reached the door and didn’t hesitate to knock this time, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. Not two seconds later, the door was opening and I was yanked into their office by my shirt. I fumbled in and tried to assess what the hell was going on before I saw Hanji staring at me like I was their next meal.

“Eren, you’re back! And it seems you were there for some time,” they added, nudging me with their elbow.

“Uh yeah,” I said awkwardly. “I sort of lost track of time.”

“Don’t worry about it! Just sit down, relax, and tell me how it went.”

I sighed. I should have known they would want the details. As strange as it sounded, I was reluctant to reveal anything that Levi and I talked about. It felt personal, way to personal considering all we did was talk about tea and my eyes. I also didn’t think Levi would like it if I told Hanji all the details of our meetings.  I sat down in the same chair as this morning. Hanji chose to sit on the corner of the desk, eagerly awaiting my response.

“It was fine,” I said curtly.

They raised their eyebrows at me and pushed their glasses up. “Fine? He didn’t insult you or try to get you to leave?”

I didn’t really think calling me “brat” was considered an insult. He said it more as a nickname than anything. He did call my eyes ridiculous, but that also didn’t seem to be in the wrong spirit. “I mean, sort of. But it wasn’t anything too severe.”

They looked at me, no, studied me for the longest time. I felt awkward just sitting under their gaze, but couldn’t do anything about it. They weren’t done with me, that much I could tell, so I just had to wait it out. Then, I remembered Levi had given me a message for Hanji. Granted, he probably didn’t think I would follow through with delivering it, but anything was better than sitting here in Hanji’s scrutiny. “He also said that he does leave his apartment, and to stop spreading lies about him.”

They looked surprised for a minute, then threw their head back and started to laugh. I guess this was better than silence. “Of course he did.” They wiped at their eyes and shook their head. “Anyway, did he tell you how you would get the schedule of when to pick things up?”

“He said that he would get my number from you and text me the details.”

Hanji snapped their eyes towards me. They got off of the desk and stalked towards me as if I was a wounded animal. “He…he is going to give you his cell number?”

I gulped, not liking the fact that Hanji was now only inches from me and practically caging me into my chair. “Um, yes? Is that a problem?”

“No!” They screamed. I may have flinched a bit. “No, you sweet, beautiful boy that isn’t a problem! I’ll give it to him right away.” They then brought their arms around me, closing me in for a tight hug. I held my arms out, completely taken aback by their gesture, until I realized I wasn’t getting let go until I hugged back. So I did, albeit awkwardly, until they let me go of their death grip.

“Now, I have a phone call to make and you have things to do, so I’ll let you go.” They were back to smiling now. I got up quickly and gave a short nod before escaping out of the room. I shut the door behind me and almost immediately heard Hanji talking animatedly into the phone, but it was too muffled by the door for me to hear clearly.

I went back to my station, still unnerved and confused, but that was becoming my natural state these days. I absentmindedly took the papers off of my desk that needed copies and went through the motions of doing my work while my mind was on other things.

It kept going back to Levi.

I started to get creeped out by how much I thought about him. Was I some weird stalker now? Or was my life so boring that I attached to the first new, interesting thing and wouldn’t let go? Whatever the case, he was a constant theme in my head throughout the whole day. I even tried to find some of his books in the office, but was unsuccessful. I would have to go to a bookstore as soon as I could. Or I could always ask Armin; he has read practically every book published by W.O.F.

Either way, I was determined to find out more about the mysterious raven.


	3. The Book

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren struggles with boredom and decisions.

The next day, I was a little disappointed when I didn’t receive a text from Levi. I mean, there technically wasn’t any reason for him to contact me yet, but a simple “Hey this is Levi” would have been nice. Realistically, it would probably have been something more like “This is Levi you shitty brat,” but I was still okay with that.

So, I did my usual routine. I had meant to ask Armin about the raven, but he was already asleep when I got home and already working when I left in the morning. Which meant A) I wouldn’t be getting free breakfast, and B) I would have to do some research elsewhere.

I picked up everyone’s coffee, minus Petra’s, but plus Hanji’s. They cornered me again before I left worked yesterday and told me to start bringing coffee, so I did. I guess Hanji had taken a liking to me, which wasn’t a bad thing I suppose.

The first thing I did was ask Eld how Levi’s chapter was going. I hoped I didn’t sound too eager to have it done, because he looked at me strangely and told me it was going to be a day or two more. That was reasonable, I guess. I decided not to dwell on why I was so excited to be seeing him again.

Work was hell as it usually was. I went and picked up some work from an author I’ve known for a while now, but it was a simple job. She was quiet and kept to herself, choosing to hand it over to me with a smile and then go on with her life. Definitely not my worst experience, but I’ve had better. I did some odd jobs for the editors, including fixing one of the printers for Oluo because he somehow lacked all knowledge of anything that wasn’t his specific technical devices. Literally all you had to do was open the fucking thing and clear the jam. But hey, why else was I here?

I got bored, so I decided to text Petra and ask her how everything was going with their new child. I found out it was a girl, and they had named her Rose. I may have also wanted to ask her a bit more about Levi. I was torn; I wanted her to tell me anything she could about him, but also wanted to find out for myself. I decided to wait until I had a few more meetings with him to see if I needed any help.

By five o’clock, I was sending out emails to authors who were coming close to missing their deadlines, reminding them to stay on track. I paused when I saw Armin’s name on the list. That must be why he was working so early this morning. I sent him the classic stock email and added a personal twist to it, reminding him that his roommate could easily beat him if he didn’t get It done on time.

God, I was bored.

By the six rolled around, I was jumping out of my seat, ready to get out of that building. I waved to the three editors beside me and wished them luck on their projects and received three affirmative grunts in response. I grabbed my jacket and headed out, happy to finally feel the breeze on my face as I stepped out of the office. It was a perfect night to take a walk or maybe go to a park, but I had other plans.

Getting in my car, I headed straight for the bookstore that was nearby the coffee I go to every morning. I see it on my drive in, but have never personally been there. I hoped they at least carried what I was looking for. I saw the small, family owned business on the left of the street as I continued to drive on. I parked outside, turning off my car and sighing in relief that they weren’t closed yet. I hadn’t been sure since it was sort of late for a bookstore to be open.

I hopped out of my car and locked it behind me. The store had a glass front to it, revealing the rows of books within. There was also a place to sit and read equipped with comfortable looking chairs and tables off to the right. I made a mental note to tell Armin about this place if he didn’t already know about it.

I opened the door and heard a bell ring as I entered. It smelled like coffee and old books, something I was very used to. I guess they must also sell drinks here. I looked over at the counter and saw a familiar blonde lazily drawing something without even gazing up to see who just walked in.

“Annie?” I called. Her ice blue eyes locked onto mine once she heard her name called. Annie and I went to high school together as well as Armin and my sister. We weren’t friends per say, but we did manage to get along. She was quiet most of the time, but never had a problem with speaking her mind.

“Eren Jaeger,” she said flatly. “I would have never guessed you’d be in a bookstore.”

I laughed lightly and rubbed at the back of my neck. So it wasn’t really a secret that I didn’t read much. Why did I major in English again? I walked up further to the counter, putting my hands in my pockets as I did. “And what would you say if I told you I worked at a publishing company?”

She stared blankly at me, as if she was trying to figure out if I was joking. “I’d say you’ve fucked up big time.”

I laughed again, even though she was pretty accurate. I would have to make sure I mentioned this place to Armin now because he used to have a huge thing for her. I never got it; sweet, adorable Armin with someone as cold as Annie. Opposites attract, I guess.

“Maybe I have. But it pays the bills and I’ve met some great people through it. How about you?” I asked. Last time I checked, she had majored in something to do with physical fitness.

“I’m the manager of a boxing gym downtown. I mostly do boxing lessons, but it’s an all-around work out place.  I worked here before I got the job and just never quit.” I noticed her features softened minutely as she talked about her work. It must be nice, doing something you love. She was always the best in our P.E. class, even rivaling Mikasa. I had even asked her to teach me some basic self-defense once after Armin got beat up by some assholes in high school. She was crazy strong and amazingly agile, and from the looks of her now, she kept it up.

“It suits you,” I said simply. She shrugged, giving me her usual passive look.

“Looking for something in particular?” she said.

I had almost forgotten why I was here after running into her. Once I remembered, I cleared my throat and nodded. “There’s an author at my company, but he goes by the pseudonym ‘H.S.’ Any ideas?”

She raised her eyebrows at me questioningly. “Seriously? You don’t know who that is?”

I stared at her blankly and shook my head. It didn’t surprise me that he was well know, not if you’re being represented by Wings of Freedom. “No, I don’t. I really only read the authors I work with personally.”

She sighed and went around the counter, signaling for me to follow her. I trailed after her short frame, aimlessly looking at the stacks of books on both sides of me. It was a familiar sight, one that I was comfortable with. If anything, that’s why I chose to do this. All my life, I had helped Armin with his writings. I’d rent him books, proofread his work, and talk him through ideas. It came naturally to me, whether I enjoyed it or not. I was good at something, or at least decent, and so I made my decision. Maybe it was for the wrong reasons, but I was surviving.

“Here,” Annie said, stopping abruptly. I peered over to the section she was pointed at. I looked again, sure that I had misread the sign.

“Are you sure this is in the right section?” I asked incredulously.

She glared at me, silencing me immediately. “Of course I am. Unlike you, I actually keep up on my work.”

I frowned at her comment, looking back at the row of books. We were in the best seller’s area. It’s not like I didn’t think Levi was talented, but it was unusual for someone so successful to hide who they were. Usually they were all about the fame and publicity, but apparently not Levi. There was only one book by the author “H.S”, but it was displayed largely in the middle. It was a forest green cover with the title “My Regret” written in gold scrawled across the top. I picked it up gently, turning it over in my hands. There wasn’t anything written on the back, either. I opened it to the front cover, trying to find an author’s note or description, but there was nothing. It only started with chapter one.

“It’s been the number one seller for weeks,” Annie said. “I’ve read it myself, it may be the only best seller to actually deserve it.”

“So what’s it about?” I asked, smoothing over the cover with my hand.

“There’s a lot of different elements to it. It’s deep as shit.”

I shook my head, turning back to Annie with the book in my hand. I was glad she didn’t reveal much to me. “I’ll take it.” She nodded, walking me back to the register. I kept the book tightly clasped in my hand, not wanting it to leave my side.

“So you know the author?” she asked, ringing up my purchase once she had gotten back behind the counter.

“Barely,” I answered carefully. I had learned the hard way that bragging about knowing famous authors was a bad idea. People would try and exploit you in order to meet their beloved writers. Even though I knew Annie personally, you can’t be too careful. “I just pick up his chapters and drop them off to his editor.”

She put the book in a bag, then swiped my credit card from the purchase. “Make sure you don’t tell anyone else that.”

I quirked an eyebrow at her and took my change from her outstretched arm. “Why not?”

She sighed again and shook her head. “You really need to catch up. He’s never released a photo of himself and has only done maybe one or two signings, and when he does, he doesn’t allow pictures or anything.” I had known Levi was private, but I didn’t know how far it really went. I felt my stomach fill up with guilt. What if I had let something more important slip? He would probably never speak to me again and request someone new to be his errand boy.

“Please don’t say anything,” I implored the blonde.

She gave me a small half smile and leaned her head on her hand. “I wouldn’t do that. You sure you don’t know him that well?” she asked me.

I furrowed my eyebrows and shrugged. “I’ve only met him once. Why?”

“You just seem to really care what he thinks of you.”

I had forgotten how perceptive Annie could be. I felt my face heat up as she smirked at me. So what if I wanted him to like me? That’s a perfectly normal thing for human beings to want out of people they meet. Except I had been thinking about him a lot more normal people would. But that didn’t matter, anyway. “Whatever, Annie. Thanks for the help.”

“No problem,” she said, waving me off. “Come by my gym if you ever want your ass handed to you.”

I rolled my eyes as I left the quaint store, book carefully stowed under my arm. I was anxious to get home and read it, just to get a glimpse into Levi’s mind. I drove home swiftly, practically running through the courtyard of the small complex once I got there. I jammed my key in the door, opening it and shutting it behind me.

Armin was sitting on our couch, watching TV for once. It was rare for him to take a break and do something as mind numbing as that. I smiled at him, deciding not to disturb his free time. He had other things on his mind though, shutting off the television as soon as I had taken off my shoes and walked into the apartment.

“Hey, Eren,” he said rather flatly.

I placed my keys on the table, going around and standing in front of the couch. He was dressed like he usually was; a plain t shirt and sweatpants. “Don’t let me interrupt your Armin time,” I said with a grin.

“It’s not Armin time,” he mumbled, rubbing his face with his hands. “It’s ‘I can’t think of any ideas so I’m distracting myself’ time.”

I gave him a sympathetic smile and sat down on the couch, placing the bag with my book in it on the table. Writer’s block was a common problem, but Armin always took it as a failure on his part. I almost regretted sending him that email seeing him so dejected, but I was almost positive he would take it as a joke. Maybe I would take his laptop and delete it just in case. “You’ve been working nonstop lately. I’m sure that after some rest you’ll figure something out,” I assured him.

He groaned loudly, sprawling out on the couch with his legs over mine. I laughed at his childish display, moving down the couch so he could have more room. “I found a new bookstore today,” I mentioned, trying to better his mood.

“Where?” he grumbled from underneath a blanket he had buried himself in.

“It’s down the street from the coffee shop I go to every morning. And guess who works there?” I added teasingly. I poked him through the blanket, earning me a loud yelp.

“Ow!” he said, poking his head out of the blanket. When he saw my smug grin, he narrowed his eyes. “Who works there?”

“Annie. As in, the Annie from high school you had a crush on,” I said, wiggling my eyebrows.

He ducked back under the blanket, probably trying to conceal his blush. I laughed louder, pouncing on him and yanking it off of him. Sure enough, he was blushing brightly. “You still like her!” I yelled, pleased as his blush only intensified.

“S-shut up, Eren! We would never work out.”

“You can’t know that if you don’t try,” I added, ruffling his blond hair. Armin was never really one for dating, mostly because he was so busy all of the time. It was unusual for him to take interest in someone, especially somehow he hasn’t seen for years. He must have liked her even more than I thought. “At least go down there, okay?”

He looked at me with unsure eyes, deciding in his head. He finally sighed loudly, throwing his arms up in the air. “Fine. But for the books only,” he added firmly.

I hummed and smiled widely. I was glad he was at least going to try. It didn’t seem like Annie was dating anyone, at least. I figured she would have mentioned if something serious was going on.

“Wait,” Armin said, suddenly appearing closer to me than I had remembered, “Why were you at a bookstore?”

I unintentionally shifted my eyes to my newly purchased book resting on the table. It didn’t go unnoticed by Armin as he followed my gaze. He snatched up the package, throwing off the bag and revealing the beautiful green that was Levi’s book. I was going to have to ask Armin if he knew Levi anyway, but I was still a little worried about him knowing how far my interest went.

After he looked over the cover, he looked back at me with an interested stare. “What made you buy this?” he asked carefully.

I took a deep breath, trying to figure out the best way to go about this. I could try and lie to Armin, telling him it was just out of pleasure, but he would catch that in an instant. If I told him I knew the author, he might try and get information out of me. Of course Armin may even know Levi himself, but that was something I couldn’t be sure on. “Well,” I started, shifting in my seat, “I sort of know the author.”

Armin eyes widened. Shit, wrong choice. “You mean H.S. is one of your contacts?” he asked excitedly.

I scratched the back of my neck, trying my best to keep everything I know about Levi a secret. Armin was my best friend, but I had to respect the older man’s privacy. “Yeah, I just met…them.” I didn’t want to give away the fact that he was a man, either, in case that was also a secret. “But listen, I can’t tell you much about them. Or anything, really.”

He nodded, but I could read the disappointment on his face. Sorry Armin, this time I wasn’t budging. “I take it you’re a fan?” I asked him.

“Well, yeah. Who isn’t though?” he said with a laugh. He faced me, giving me his best puppy dog eyes, even biting down on his lower lip. Dammit Armin, don’t exploit the sexually frustrated gay man in me. He knows how adorable he is when he wants to be. “You can’t even tell me what he or she is like?”

I stopped and thought about his question. What was Levi like? He was odd, but in the most charming way possible. He always said what he was thinking, even it meant being a little rude. He didn’t give a shit about what people thought about him or his work, that I could tell. He loved tea. He did, in fact, leave his home from time to time. And he was very attractive. Maybe even the most attractive person I had ever seen. Had I really only met the man one time? It felt like I had known him for much, much longer. We were strangely in sync, just like Hanji and Petra had said we would be. I could only hope Levi felt the same way, but I knew it was a long shot. He had more important things to think about than some brat who was forming some weird hero-worship on him. But it wasn’t hero worship, either. I admired him for his work, but didn’t see it as something I would strive to do. Maybe I envied him and his life. Something had to explain why I was so adamant about getting to know him.

“Eren!” Armin yelled at me.

“Huh?” I said back.

“You completely ignored me for a good five minutes. What were you thinking about?” he asked with concern.

I shook my head and sighed. “Nothing, just that I have some work to finish up. Maybe I can tell you a little more about H.S. later.” His face lit up with hope. I gave his arm a playful shove before taking the book and going into my room. I shut the door behind me and went over to my desk, sitting down with the book.

I turned it over in my hands, looking at every detail. Contrary to popular belief, you can learn a lot from a book’s cover. At least I always thought you could. If a book had an intricate or eye catching cover, it was almost always dull or not very well written and was trying to compensate. But Levi’s was so simple, and yet everyone had bought it anyway.

I went to open it, but something was holding me back. Unlike all of the other people who have read this, I knew who the author was. Using a fake name obviously meant that Levi didn’t want anyone to know about his writings besides those who strictly needed it. Was I crossing some line here? If I read this and told Levi, would it bother him?

I set it down, sighing loudly and setting the book on my desk. On one hand, I wanted to know more about Levi so badly. This was the perfect way to do that. But, he most likely wouldn’t like it if he knew the person he had to interact weekly had gone and done something like that. I technically had every right to. If I was anyone else, I would have already read his work, anyway. But I hadn’t, and I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I wanted Levi to let me in; I didn’t want to force my way into his life.

I jumped in my chair when I felt my phone vibrate from my pocket. My internal struggle was interrupted, causing me to quickly take my phone out and see who had texted me. I didn’t recognize the number, but my heart sped up when I read the message.

_Shitty intern from yesterday. Eld should have moved his lazy ass by now and gotten it done. I expect to see you tomorrow, the absolute latest Thursday._

I smiled widely, immediately putting Levi’s number into my phone now that I had his number now. Even though I wouldn’t dare text him unless it was about work, it was still thrilling. He really had trouble with waiting, though. I could understand; patience was never really my thing either. I glided my fingers over my phone, trying to come up with a response.

_Ill let him know. my name is still Eren btw._

I wasn’t expecting any response, which was why I was so shocked when my phone went off quickly after I had sent it.

_Your texting is annoying as fuck, how did you manage to get a job at a publishing company? That’s rhetorical, don’t answer with some smart ass reply._

I laughed despite the insults laced in the text. That was probably where the conversation should have ended, but I didn’t want it to just yet. I glanced over at the book still resting on my desk, anxiousness filling me as I did so. I guess if I wanted an answer, this was the only way I was getting it.

_I picked up your book today_

There, I did it. It was simple. I stared regretting it as soon as I had sent it. Why hadn’t I just put it away and forgotten about it? My phone buzzed, and I scrambled to read the text.

_Congratulations on being able to buy a book on your own._

Well, he was still being sarcastic, so at least he wasn’t angry. That wasn’t the response I was looking for, though. I had a feeling even if I asked him directly if I should read it, he wouldn’t tell me how he felt. I picked up my phone and replied honestly.

_Im not going to read it tho.  not until you tell me I can at least. if you ever want me to._

It took him a little bit longer to reply to this one. He could take my not reading his book as a good or bad thing depending on if my assumption that it was a very personal thing was right.

_You’re not a complete idiot, Eren._

That was all it took to make me happier than I had been in weeks. If I was reading this situation correctly, Levi was grateful for the fact that I was respecting his privacy and not reading his book. In his own weird way, I think he was thanking me. And holy shit, he used my actual name. It would have been better to hear him say it, but texting was close enough. I smiled goofily to myself, setting my phone down before I did something stupid to mess up what trust I had built with him. I put the book away in my drawer, promising myself to keep it there. Before I could plug my phone in to charge and take a long shower, I heard my phone go off once more.

_Don’t forget the tea when you come. I ran out today._

I chuckled to myself, re-reading our conversation over and over. I wouldn’t call our interaction friendly, but it was more than a simple coworker relationship.

_Don’t worry, ill continue to feed your addiction. see you soon._

He didn’t respond after that, so I did end up taking a shower. And when I got done and fell into my bed, I wasn’t as burned out as usual. Talking to Levi, even just texting, made me entirely too happy. I’d really have to thank Petra’s daughter for being born early one day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to say a quick thanks to everyone who is reading, hope you're enjoying it!


	4. Stray Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren finally gets some time to spend with Levi, but he's finding himself distracted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long ass chapter, but I couldn't find a less awkward place to break it up. So, enjoy?

Wednesday, Eld told me that he still had some adjustment to make on Levi’s chapter, but he would have it done by Thursday. I was sort of upset that I would have to wait another day to see him, but I got over it. Levi on the other hand was a bit angrier. When I sent him a text telling him that I would absolutely get it to him Thursday, but no earlier, he sent back a paragraph about how he never had this sort of shit with Petra, and he was counting down the days until her maternity leave was up. That stung a little bit, but I was determined to make up for Eld being late in any way possible.

So when Thursday morning finally came around, I rushed through my morning routine. I picked out a simple dark blue button up and a grey pair of jeans. I got everyone’s coffee and drove way over the speed limit in order to get to the office. I parked hastily, probably taking up more than one spot, then went into the building. I tapped my foot as I entered the elevator, waiting for my floor to show up. When it did, I exited and went to Hanji’s office right away to drop off their coffee first. They were distracted, typing away on their keyboard as I came into view. I tiptoed in and set it down on the desk so I wouldn’t be noticed, then left quickly.

The three desks arranged in the corner were all occupied with busy looking editors as I entered. Instead of our usual banter, I simply placed their drinks in front of them, then stood in front of Eld’s work station. “Is H.S.’s chapter ready for delivery?” I asked with more eagerness than I care to admit.

Eld shuffled through a few folders on his desk before pulling out the same one I remember Levi giving to me. “Yep, here it is. The changes are all pretty self-explanatory, but tell him to send me an email if he needs anything.”

I nodded in understanding, taking the folder from his hands. I guess my excitement was palpable, because the others definitely picked up on it.

“This ‘H.S.’ person really has you wrapped around their finger, don’t they?” Oluo said in a mocking tone.

“Just like Petra does with you?” I bit back. It wasn’t a secret that before Petra and Erwin went public with their relationship, Oluo had a huge thing for her. I went a little far, but the snickering and amused looks from the other guys was enough to tell me I hadn’t gone _that_ far.

“Piss off, Eren. Go run off to your new boy toy.”

I gaped at him, taken back by his comment. I wasn’t interested in Levi like that. Sure he was attractive, but anyone could see that. And it was nice being able to sit and talk with him, but I didn’t have feelings for him or anything. I doubted Levi was gay, anyway. As much as I would like it, not every hot guy I come across is into dick. “How do you know H.S. is even a man?” I asked back with a frown. “I never said gender to you.”

“Because you’re blushing like a virgin and you sure as hell aren’t into ladies,” he scoffed.

Well, he wasn’t wrong. But I was not blushing because I liked Levi- not at all. It was just the implication that made me embarrassed. “Now _you_ piss off, Oluo. I have to get going,” I grumbled, stepping out of the hostile work environment I had to put up with every day. 

I got out of the office, but not without grumbling about stupid Oluo and his ridiculous assumptions. I got a few funny looks, but I was talking to myself, so I deserved them. I got into my car, slamming the door harder than necessary, then dropped my head against the seat. I sighed, took out my phone, and clicked on Levi’s contact name. I wanted to try and call him, but we hadn’t talked on the phone yet; only texting. It seemed like a better idea just to stick to texting, so I did just that.

_Morning, Levi. coming over in 30min with tea and revised work_

I didn’t even have to wait a minute before he had replied.

_It’s about fucking time. Black tea, no sugar._

I pocketed my phone, already feeling better than this morning. I had decided to buy the tea from the coffee shop I get everyone’s drinks from. Not only was it the best tea I ever had (well, except for the tea Levi made me) it was pretty much the only store I knew of that wasn’t Starbucks. I drove there for the second time today and parked.

I jogged into the store, seeing Marco once again. He smiled when he saw me, but there was confusion clear on his face. “You forget something, Eren?” he asked with a laugh.

“Not exactly. I’m proving a point to a coworker.”

Marco looked a little confused, but shrugged. “What can I get for you?”

“Two black teas.”

“Easy enough. I’ll have those in a minute.” I thanked him and leaned against the counter, taking out my phone again. I had a message from Armin saying that he just checked his email and violence was never a way to get him to speed up his writings. I laughed to myself, glad he hadn’t taken it too seriously. He still hadn’t gone and seen Annie though, which I would have to yell at him for later.

“Here you go,” Marco said, handing over the teas. I had already placed some money on the counter and told him to keep the change. I tip way too much here, but like I said, Marco’s cute.

I got in my car, drinks secure in their holders. I wouldn’t want to spill them before I even saw if Levi liked it. I turned on the radio to some random station and zoned out while I drove to the complex he lived in. The folder was still secure on my passenger seat, but I flicked my eyes over to it every few minutes to make sure it hadn’t fallen or anything else.

One I got to Levi’s apartment, I got nervous again. How could someone make me so anxious and calm all at the same time? I tucked the folder under my arm and picked up the still very hot tea, leaving my car and walking up to the entrance. In no time, I was standing outside the door to Levi’s apartment. I used my free hand to knock twice like I had before, holding my breath as I did so.

“It’s open, just like last time,” the unmistakable voice of Levi called out. I rolled my eyes, but not without a small smile.

I walked into the immaculate apartment and looked around. I didn’t think I’d ever get used to this place. I set the tea down on the table beside me and quickly took off my green Converse, setting them aside. I eyed the room, searching for the raven I was had been waiting to talk to again since we last met. I found him sitting on the couch, one leg resting on top of the other and an arm slung around the back it. He was dressed in a grey sweater that hugged his frame perfectly and a similar pair of dress pants as last time. The top two buttons of his sweater were left open, revealing his milky skin. I found myself staring for much, much too long until I turned my eyes to his face. He was fucking smirking at me, and it should not have made my knees so weak.

“You going to stand over there all day?” he drawled out.

I shook my head, trying to pull myself together. His presence was just so commanding; it was impossible not to stare. I grabbed both of the containers of tea and headed over to the couch, sitting where I had the last time.

“Here,” I said, handing one over to him. He took it gingerly, brushing over my fingers as his own wrapped around the cup. I shuddered as his cold, long fingers left mine. It was the first time we had touched, and _shit_ I didn’t think it was supposed to feel that good. What was going on with me? I turned away, taking back my hand and picking up my own tea. It was nothing, I was sure of it. Just a momentary seizure or something. I avoided his gaze, bringing the cup of tea to my lips and tasting. It wasn’t as good as his own, but it wasn’t bad.

I peeked over at Levi who had also tasted it at this point. I searched his face, trying to see if he enjoyed it. As usual, he gave away nothing with his expression. “So…?” I goaded.

“It isn’t awful,” he said, taking another drink. I smiled broadly as if it was the greatest compliment in the world.

“I’m glad,” I said with a laugh. “I go there every morning, so I would hate to be furthering a business that didn’t adhere to your standards.” The more time I spent talking or texting Levi, the more comfortable I became joking and being sarcastic with him. It was easy, as if we had known each other for years.

“So no more Starbucks?” he said teasingly.

I laughed and shook my head, sitting back on the couch. I was hyperaware that Levi’s arm was sort of, but not really draped around me. I kind of forced it to work out that way. “No more Starbucks. But you’ll have a tougher time convincing my best friend of that.” Armin was literally addicted to that place. If he left the house, there was a ninety percent chance he would go there.

“Fuck that, you need a new best friend,” he said.

“Nah, he cooks for me. Plus, he has a huge hero boner for you,” I added, sipping at my tea. I was pleased that I got at least a little reaction out of Levi, as he raised an eyebrow at me. “I told him I met you, but nothing else, don’t worry. He sort of flipped out.”

“That’s why I don’t put my name on my books,” he mumbled into his tea. I gazed over at him. So, he doesn’t like it when people freak out over his work. That was the first real thing he had told my about himself. I felt my heart beat faster as I thought about what he had done. Maybe it was only a small thing, but he was starting to open up to me just a little.

_Most importantly, please give him time. I know he comes off as abrasive and maybe even rude, but he’ll soften up eventually._ Hanji’s words repeated himself in my head. This was what they meant, right? I went ahead and took it as a win.

“By the way,” he added, looking off into the window. “The other night when you said you picked up my book but didn’t read it. How did…” he trailed off, clearing his throat. I sat, anxiously waiting on his next words. “How did you know not to read it?”

He wouldn’t look over at me or even acknowledge that I was there, so it was clearly hard for him to ask me. I shifted so I was facing him, bringing one up my legs up on the couch a I did so. “You had mentioned not to read anything that wasn’t published, but it didn’t seem right reading your work when you clearly don’t like people linking you to it. And I get that. I’m no writer, but I know that it’s something you don’t want random interns knowing. You didn’t even get to choose me, so I’ll wait until you want me to. If you ever do, that is. “

For a moment, he continued to look away from me. I started getting nervous, feeling as if I had said all the wrong things. But when he did look back at me, my heart sped up. It wasn’t the passive look I hadn’t already gotten used to. It was something much more personal. He was looking at me with what I dare say was gratitude. I swallowed thickly under his gaze, not being able to look away.

“Like I said, not a complete idiot,” he said with a small hint of fondness.

We sat in silence drinking our tea like the last time. I had set the revisions on the table, but he hadn’t even asked for them yet. The smallest part of me wanted to believe that maybe he was looking forward to seeing me again instead of simply wanting his work back, but I realized how idiotic that really was. He doesn’t have any reason to want to be around me. Well, besides free tea.

“Get up.” Levi’s voice broke me out of my thoughts. He had picked up the folder while I was zoning off and flipped it closed as soon as I made eye contact with him. He placed it neatly on the table before standing up. I was still staring dumbly at him. Was he kicking me out?

“Or just sit there like a fucking moron,” he added, rolling his eyes and walking off towards the door. I got up from the couch and watched as he picked up a pair of keys from the table.

“Uh, you’re leaving?” I asked hesitantly.

_“We’re_ leaving, so move your ass.” I did the exact opposite, frozen in place. Levi wanted to…to go somewhere with me? He was still standing by the door, impassively as ever, as I had a miniature break down inside of myself. I tried to calm down, briskly going over to my shoes and putting them back on. If he really wanted to do something with me, I certainly wouldn’t complain. I fumbled with the laces, still nervous over the new development with him. I finally tied them, smiling sheepishly at Levi. He huffed at me, then opened the door and walked through it, motioning for me to follow.

He walked extremely fast and I found myself struggling to keep up with him to the short walk to the elevator. “So where are we going?” I asked, catching up to and standing beside him.

He clicked the down button on the elevator, grimacing as he did so. _It must be his germ thing,_ I thought to myself. “The tea store a few blocks from here.”

I hummed as we both stepped into the elevator. He had mentioned he ran out of tea before, but why was he taking me? Like I said, I wasn’t complaining, but I was supposed to be working. Shit, I would probably get in trouble with Hanji if I was out too long. “I am technically supposed to be at Wings of Freedom right now…” I mumbled, standing across from him.

“As long as you’re with me, Shitty Glasses won’t mind. If you get in trouble tell them to text me.” I had to turn away in fear that I would blush. It could be for selfish reasons, but Levi was willing to cover for me for work. That was probably as nice of an action out of him that I would ever get. “Unless you don’t want to come with me,” he added emotionlessly.

“I want to!” I said, much too loudly. The elevator opened right after I said it, so I quickly walked off, groaning internally. Why did I turn into a complete fuck when I was around him? I realized I had no idea where he parked his car, so I stood awkwardly, waiting for him to take the lead.

“I have a private garage, follow me,” he said, trailing off out of the building. I practically ran after him, glad that he didn’t mention how oddly enthusiastic I sounded about coming with him.

We made it to a two car garage which must be Levi’s because he tapped in the code, opening it and stepping in. I wondered what kind of car Levi would drive. Probably a sports car of some sorts. I’d never been a car person though, so he could drive literally anything and I would be impressed. I walked in and snorted when I noticed the garage was also impeccably clean. But, there wasn’t a car. There was a vehicle, but no car.

Levi drove a damn motorcycle. And a very nice one from the looks of it. It was black with a sleek body, and wasn’t too showy. _Sort of like Levi._ I mentally cursed myself for that incredibly stupid line. Levi grabbed two helmets off the wall behind us, handing one over to me. I took it from him and realized something that should have been obvious, but it wasn’t until then I realized it.

I would be riding behind him. And I would have to hold onto him.

“My car is in the shop so this will have to do,” he said, going over and settling himself on the bike. I had to admit, he looked like a fucking model on it.

“You know I have a car,” I offered.

“This is faster. And I don’t trust your driving.”

I was going to argue and point out the fact that he hadn’t even seen me drive, but a cold glare sent my way silenced me immediately. I starting walking over, helmet still in my hands as he waited for me. “I’ve never ridden one before,” I said.

“Just get on, hold on, and don’t talk while we’re driving because I won’t be able to hear you.”

“Hold onto what, exactly?” I asked nervously, throwing one of my legs around the motorcycle and sitting down behind him. I think I already knew the answer to my question, but I would hate to be clinging to him if he didn’t intend for me to.

I could practically feel the eye roll he gave me even though his head was facing forward and he had already put his helmet on.

“To me.” Okay, that sounded way more amused than this situation called for.

“R-right.” Fuck, why do I always stutter around him? I took a deep breath and put on my own helmet. I knew it was then time for me to hold onto him, but I fidgeted behind him, not sure how to just grab onto my author who I just met a few days ago. Luckily, he wasn’t as concerned about it as me. He sighed loudly, then reached around to grab both of my wrists. I made a sound that was close to a squeak as he placed my hands over his waist. Levi might not go out very much, but the gym was most definitely one of the places he goes to. I struggled not to think about the obviously defined muscles now underneath my hands, covered by only a few layers of fabric, but I failed. My mind wandered off, thinking of what those muscles would look like once his shirt was removed. And what they would look like as they contracted, sitting over me, drenched in sweat-

_What._

I shut my eyes, trying to focus on anything other than the toned muscle that was now underneath my fingertips. It was easier than I thought when Levi started up the engine, smoothly gliding us out of the garage. I was trying not to let my grip get too hard, but Levi was already showing me he had no intention of following the speed limit. It was so much different than being in a car. We whizzed by buildings and people alike, and I found myself enjoying this much more than I thought I would. That was until I found out the faster he went, the further I was pressed into his back.

My breath caught when a particularly tight turn caused me to grip him harder. I could feel the outline of his obvious six pack, and being pressed up against his equally as toned back wasn’t helping. Calm down, hormonal teenage body. Wait, I wasn’t even a teenager anymore! But _shit,_ did Levi have to be this attractive? I kept trying to slide back, but was pushed forward with every quick stop or turn. I was getting hot all over. This was just my body reacting to being so close to a particularly attractive guy. Oh god, I could never recover if I had gotten a boner while driving with him.

I felt us come to a stop outside of a small store, and I sighed in relief. I didn’t think I could have taken much longer being so close to him. I stepped off as we parked and removed my helmet, handing it over to him. He took his off as well, setting it back on the bike and running his hand through his hair. I watched as his dark hair was pushed out of his face, revealing his angular features in all their glory. God dammit, he was beautiful.

“Let’s go,” he said, briskly walking into the store. I followed after him, trying to ignore the fact that we would be riding back together.

He opened the door, and I was assaulted with a variety of different smells. It wasn’t necessarily good or bad, but it was definitely interesting. I expected it to just be teas, but there was a strange assortment of different items. Scarves hung on the walls, jewelry was displayed in cases, and other items filled up the small building. It wasn’t somewhere I would think Levi would shop at, but he had clearly been there before, stalking up to the counter and tapping the bell to get service.

“How’d you find this place?” I asked, leaning up against the glass counter.

“Hanji. They bugged me to try it for a month until I finally tried it.”

That made more sense. I could easily see Hanji enjoying a place like this. “So you do go out, only when someone makes you,” I said with a grin.

“Shut up,” he snapped at me, but not in a way that made me believe he was truly angry. He made me come, so I assume he had some sort of reason.

A woman walked in from the back room. She was dressed in a long, flowing dress that had sleeves down to her wrists. Her dark hair was braided to the side, and she had bright gold colored eyes. She smiled widely when she saw Levi, coming up to the counter and taking us both in.

“Good to see you, Levi,” she said in a warm tone. Her eyes flicked over to me, staring with interest. I gave her my own smile, trying to be polite. “And who’s this?” she asked, clearly surprised to see me.

“He’s an annoying shit who works with me,” he answered. At least he didn’t tell her I was a brat.

She laughed slightly, shaking her head at him. “You must like him a little if you’re taking him places with you,” she said with a smirk.

My eyes widened, looking over at Levi. His face didn’t reveal anything, but he wasn’t denying it, so that’s good. I gave him a cocky grin, looking back over at the woman. “I’m Eren.”

She extended her hand and continued smiling. “Ilse. Nice to meet someone else you who can put up with Levi.”

“Well I’ve only known him for a few days, so we’ll so how long I last,” I said with a chuckle. Realistically, I doubt I would get tired of Levi. Something about him drew me to him, even when he was insulting me or blowing me off completely.

Levi sighed loudly. “Can I just get my fucking tea?” Levi grumbled, interrupting out conversation. Ilse stifled a laugh behind her hand and nodded. She walked behind the door again, leaving Levi and I alone. I liked doing this with him. Even if it was a simple as picking up tea, I enjoyed seeing him in a different setting. He was less relaxed when he wasn’t at home, but I didn’t think it would be noticeable unless you were looking. His shoulders got more tense, his movements were quicker, and he never let his eyes stay somewhere for more than a minute. It made me wonder what made him so constantly alert.

“Here we go, Levi,” Ilse said, stepping back into view with two tins of tea I recognized from being the same as the ones in Levi’s apartment. He pulled out his wallet while she rang it up. When I found out he paid almost eighty dollars for two tins of tea, I couldn’t stop gaping at him. He was rich, but who pays eighty dollars for tea?

Ilse finished up the transaction and handed him back his change. Before he could walk away, she put her hand on his wrist. Levi immediately froze up, and I stared on in interest. “Don’t be a stranger, you hear?” she said sweetly. Levi relaxed after, nodding and managing to look something other than bored. I guess he doesn’t like being touched, either. “And bring this one around more,” she added while we were leaving. I decided I liked Ilse.

He took the bag and handed it over to me as soon as we left the store. I frowned, wondering why I would have to carry his expensive ass tea. But when we reached his motorcycle, it dawned on me why I would have to. I had almost forgotten how we got here. I held the bag close to me as I grabbed the helmet and put it on again. He was already sitting down, ready to leave.

I sat back down with a sigh, placing the bag up against my stomach so it would be secure, Hey, at least my dick wouldn’t be pressing into him this time. I didn’t need an invitation to wrap my arms around his torso this time. But I noticed he didn’t even flinch as my hands crept around his waist, holding tightly. He was okay with me touching him, but not someone he has known for what appeared to be a long time? I thought it might be because we had already done this before, but now that I think about it, he didn’t freeze when I first rode with him this morning. I felt myself smiling underneath the helmet, and I was glad Levi couldn’t see me as he pulled back onto the street.

The ride back was much less…tense. I let myself enjoy feeling the gloriously sculpted man in front of me without being too weird. Okay, maybe I did let my hands drift a little, but he didn’t say anything about it. One thing is sure; if Levi didn’t like something, he would say it. I was still curious as to why I had to come with him, though. I didn’t mind in the slightest, but trying to find out was all I could think about.

As we got back to the complex and pulled back into the garage, I felt a little disappointed that my time with him was done already. And the fact that I would be going back into the office soon. I had almost forgotten that I had work to get back to.

We stopped, and I stepped off the bike, handing Levi my helmet as he did the same. He placed them back to their rightful place on the wall and kept walking out. He didn’t take the tea with me, so I guessed he wanted me to come up. As much as I would like to get to spend more time with him, I really had to get back to work. I had to pick up edits from other editors, meaning I would also have to deliver them. I walked through the parking lot with Levi until we got to my car, then I stopped and cleared my throat. He turned around and flicked his eyes to my car, then frowned.

“Please tell me you don’t drive this thing,” he said, eyeing my beat up car.

I shrugged and tapped the hood. “It runs and it was cheap, so yes I do in fact drive it.” It’s not like I would drive it if I had another choice. I looked back over to Levi who was still standing a few feet in front of me, waiting for me to speak again.

“So I should probably get back to Wings of Freedom. Just send me a text if there’s anything you don’t like about Eld’s changes.” I held out the bag of tea to him, not wanting to leave at all. He nodded at me and took it from me, already turning around to leave. Now was my que to also leave, but I had one question burning in my mind.

“Wait!” I yelled, stepping forward slightly. He stopped and looked over his shoulder at me, apparently exasperated at my actions.

“Yes?” He said in a monotone.

I fidgeted with my car keys, eyes glued to the pavement below me. “Um, I was just wondering…” I trailed off, forcing myself to look back up at him. “Why did you have me come with you today?” I waited for his answer, but he simply stood there, not even making eye contact. “It’s not that I minded!” I added quickly. “I actually had a great time, but I was just curious.”

He looked like he was debating something before he spoke. “It’s easier that way,” he finally answered. I furrowed my brow and stepped forward again.

“What do you mean?”

“People don’t bother you as much when you’re with someone. And if they do, I’m sure you would have distracted them or something.”

I felt my throat tighten at his words. He didn’t really want me around; it was just to make it easier on him. I tried not to let the disappointment show on my face, but I had never really been good at doing that. I was just a brat to him, nothing more. I guess that made sense; we’d only known one another for a few days. It was only my weird personality getting attached to him so quickly.

“And I guess, “he stopped and, looking awkward, trying his best not to look at me, “You’re not bad company, either.” And with that, he left me stunned, standing in the parking lot.

Did…did he just compliment me?


	5. Accidental Stalking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren starts to realize his fascination with Levi might be more than curiosity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is sort of a boring shorter chapter, but I've got plans, don't worry.

“I’m just saying, it could be worse.”

“It’s horrifying,” Levi countered. “I’ve read fanfiction better than that shit.”

“Okay first- you just admitted you read fanfiction which we need to talk about later. Second, it actually started as Twilight fanfiction.”

This had been going on for the better part of an hour. I had accidentally revealed that I had read _Fifty Shades of Grey_ to Levi, which was definitely not something I should not have done. He laughed for a solid five minutes, which was delightful, then proceeded to explain why it was such a horrible book.

“Seriously?” he asked. “That actually makes more sense. It’s still shit.”

“Okay then, why did you even read it?” I asked with a laugh.

“Fucking Petra, that’s why. She wouldn’t shut up about it. About half way through I quit and told her I’d write her a fucking porno if it meant she’d stop reading that god awful thing.”

“Oh my god, did you?”

He snorted and shook his head. “No, I doubt Wings of Freedom would publish something like that.”

So, I had a problem. One that couldn’t be solved. At least in any way I could think of. I had been working with Levi for a whole three weeks now, and he had to be doing some weird experiment on me. He and Hanji were probably collaborating on it.

Since the day I went with him to get tea, I hadn’t been able to focus properly unless it involved him. I had been to his apartment a few times after and we had done our usual ritual. He makes tea, I sit and deliver or pick up whatever there was for me, and then we talked. Well, I did most of the talking, but he listened. It was about stupid, trivial stuff. I told him about Armin and how he had become a successful author, thus pretty much getting me my job. I talked about the other editors and my day at work which I knew was not interesting in the slightest, but he never said anything or told me to stop. He usually tried to deter the conversation away from himself, buy I did get a few bites of information out of him. I learned Erwin was actually the one to encourage him to publish his writings, but he didn’t go into detail about it. He and Hanji had gone to the same university, which is why they were close. He didn’t have any siblings, and his favorite color is grey.

Sometimes when I got home, I would take out his book and run my hands over it, trying to come up with any idea of what it was about. I had imagined countless plot lines, but never found one that suited him. Of course I wouldn’t read it; not unless he told me to. I never brought it up, afraid he would think I was being impatient.

I had a little over two months left until Petra comes back, meaning I wouldn’t have any reason to be around Levi anymore. Fuck, why does that thought hurt so bad? Would he even entertain the thought of keeping in touch, or be glad to have me gone? As much as he tries to keep an impassive demeanor around me, I can pick up on the fact that he at least enjoys our conversations a little. I mean, why else would he allow me to stay over if he didn’t?

Needless to say, Levi was the most complicated person I had ever met.

We talked for a bit more before I eventually left. It was actually my day off, but Levi had asked me to come over and pick up his work anyway. I didn’t say no. When I got back to my apartment, I immediately went back to bed, sighing to myself.

I got up a few hours later, swinging my legs over my bed and sitting up right. I had napped until three, but it was finally my day off, so it didn’t matter. I contemplating even skipping a shower, but then I thought about what Levi would think of that, and promptly got my ass under the running water.

I grabbed some sweat pants and an old shirt before stepping out into the apartment. When I did, I saw Armin sitting on the couch, book propped up on his legs. Did he do anything other than read and write? I trudged over to him, sitting down next to him with a loud thud. I didn’t say anything to him; just stared off into space. He lowered his book so he could see me, narrowing his eyes as he did.

“What’s been going on with you the last week or so?” he said. Armin always did get right to the point when he wanted to.

“Nothing,” I said emotionlessly. “Work has just been a bitch.”

He sighed and grabbed a bookmark from the table, setting in the book to mark his place and closing it. Great, he was going to talk to me now. I had never been able to hide my emotions, especially when it came to him or my sister. I guess growing up together does that.

“I don’t mean to pull a Mikasa here, but I’m worried about you,” he said carefully. “Some days you come home happier than I’ve ever seen you, then others you’re all…” he lifted his hands and motioned to me. “Well, _this._ ”

I groaned and threw my head against the couch. It had to have something to do with Levi. It was so frustrating thinking that he had so much control over me without even doing anything. I looked over at Armin, prepared to come up with some other reason why I had been so weird until his big blue eyes were staring back at me with so much concern it almost made me jump over and hug him. Damn those eyes. Whoever Armin ends up with is fucking doomed.

“It’s just…” I started, closing my eyes and exhaling loudly. “I have this author. And he’s sort of weird and eccentric, but not in a bad way. He’s supposed to be super closed off and secretive, but I think he may actually tolerate me, Armin.” I tried to accentuate that fact as much as I could because it was a huge deal, considering he calls his best friend “Shitty Glasses”. “And I shouldn’t even like him because he insults me and bosses me around, but I do.”

Armin was watching me with inquisitive eyes, taking in everything I told him. “And you’re stressing over this because…?” he trailed off, waiting for me.

I threw my hands up in the air and sighed once again. “I don’t know! I guess I’m worried I’m going crazy because I can’t get him out of my head. Like yesterday,” I started, shifting so I was facing Armin. “I’m in the market, trying to pick out fruit. Except I can’t because Levi told me once that it’s disgusting because literally anyone can go by and touch them, and even if you wash them they can retain bacteria.”

“That’s why I didn’t get bananas in my cereal this morning?” he said with a frown.

I shoved his legs that were drawn up on the couch and scoffed. “I’m serious, Armin. He’s invaded my brain or something.”

Armin paused, hummed, and continued to look at me. I knew he already had some idea, but was obviously messing with me. I huffed in annoyance, waiting for him to ask his next question. “Is he hot?” he asked with a grin.

I spluttered and gave him a shocked look. “W-what does that have to do with this?” I asked defensively.

Armin looked at me with an unimpressed stare. “Answer my question and I’ll tell you.”

I whined and attempted to bury myself in the couch without much luck. It was obvious that he was indeed extremely hot, but admitting that out loud was harder than thinking it. “Yes Armin, he’s fucking gorgeous.”

He gave me a smug smile and scooted closer to me on the couch. “I think it’s obvious what’s going on, Eren.”

I hated when Armin knew things before I did, which was most of the time. It was as if he understood me more than I understood myself. I raised my head and looked over at him questioningly. Sure I wanted to know why I couldn’t stop thinking about Levi, but I had a feeling I wouldn’t like the answer. “So what is it?”

“You’re attracted to him,” he said with a shrug.

I turned my head away from him, trying to avoid him seeing my blush. Could I actually have a thing for him? At first, I just wanted to be a friend to him. He was interesting and mysterious in a way that made me intrigued. But after getting to know him, he was so much more. Even if I did have feelings for him, I knew that they weren’t reciprocated. First of all, I doubted he was even gay or interested in men. And someone like him could do so much better than me, anyway. I was a kid in his twenties going absolutely nowhere in life, while he was an older success who has no need for me.

No, it wasn’t even a possibility that we would work out. I may have strong feelings for him and he may be the best looking person I’ve ever seen, but it’s glaringly obvious how it would turn out. I’d be rejected and then our work relationship would be fucked up because of me. It probably wouldn’t affect him in the slightest, but I knew I would have trouble being around him after that.

“Eren?” Armin called softly. “You don’t need to freak out about this. I know you haven’t been interested in someone for a while, but trying to get to know him better won’t hurt anything.”

I leaned my head back against the couch and shifted so I was facing him. “I’m fucked, Armin. I don’t know how I feel about him, but even if I do have feelings, nothing good is going to come out of it.”

“Didn’t you just tell me to go after Annie after I say that it would never work out?” he said sternly. “Take some time and try and figure out what exactly you want first, but don’t think the worst.”

But the thing was, I wasn’t thinking the worst at all. Levi could hate me if I said anything to him and request someone else until Petra comes back. I was better off just ignoring whatever it is I felt for him and move on. Being on good terms with him was enough for me. I leaned up against Armin and breathed deeply. “Thanks, Armin.” I said. “Speaking of her, have you talked to Annie?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

He fidgeted next to me, avoiding looking at me. I sat up straight and grabbed his shoulder. “Holy shit, you did! What happened?”

“I thought we were talking about you?” he mumbled, slinking back against the couch.

“Not anymore,” I said with a wide grin. “Come on, how’d it go? “He was smiling to himself and looking down at the floor. Okay, something good definitely happened with them. I shoved his shoulder, laughing as I did so.

“Alright, alright,” he said with his own laugh. “I think I have a date with her tonight.”

My eyes widened as I practically tackled Armin against the couch. I was so absorbed with my own problems that I didn’t even know my best friend was going on a date with his childhood crush. Man, I should really be more attentive. “Armin that’s fucking awesome! But why do you _think_ you have a date?”

He tried to squirm his way out of my grasp, but I wasn’t letting go. The easiest way to get Armin to talk was to make it impossible for him not to, like so. “Jeez Eren, at least get off of me first!”

“Nope,” I said with a smile.

He groaned and stopped struggling, letting himself relax under my grip. “Okay, she and I have been talking in the bookstore for about a week or so, and I finally asked her to get dinner with me. But it’s not like I specifically said it was a date, she could think it’s just a dinner.”

I rolled my eyes and huffed at him. “No, it’s a date. Shit, why didn’t you tell me? I have to get you dressed and ready and give you the sex talk before you go!”

“ _This_ is why I didn’t tell you sooner!” he whined. “And you’ve never even had straight sex so I doubt your advice would help,” he added. I laughed and let go of him, letting him sit up on the couch once more.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m just happy for you is all.”

He smiled at me and shoved me, probably pay back for earlier. I forgot how much I loved being around Armin, sometimes. Just like Levi, just a simple conversation with him can have me relaxed and forgetting about whatever was on my mind. Except with Armin, he isn’t stuck in my head twenty-four seven.

“So anyway,” he started, standing up, “I’m going to be working until tonight. You should probably go do something considering you have only left the house for work lately.”

I frowned at him, but as I thought about it, he was right. I hadn’t left our apartment for anything other than work in a while. It’s not like it has anything to do with Levi, I’ve just been…tired lately. “Fine,” I mumbled, watching him walk back into his room.

I continued to sit on the couch for a while, trying to figure out what I could do. I eventually went into the kitchen and made myself some food, which could really be either breakfast, lunch or dinner considering the odd time I was eating. I really wanted to just watch TV or movies all day, but I felt like if I did, Armin would be pretty pissed at me.

I decided going to the gym would be my best option since I could wear sweatpants with an actual reason to. I went back into my room and grabbed a bag with a pair of clothes to change into and a water bottle. I did work out occasionally, I had just gotten out of the habit of it recently. I changed into a tighter white shirt and tennis shoes before stepping out of the apartment. Usually I went to a gym that was close to Wings of Freedom, but I remembered that Annie had mentioned she manages a different gym downtown. I shrugged and continued walking out to my car. It might be nice to switch things up, and I wouldn’t mind talking to Annie a bit about her date with Armin.

I got into my car, not really sure where I was going, but I would find it eventually. I was never good at planning ahead in the first place. I put my bag in the passenger seat and started my car, preparing to actually do something for once. After a few missed turns and struggles with parking, I finally found the gym. It was larger than I expected, but wasn’t so big it was daunting. It looked a lot nicer than the one I normally go to, so I was already thinking it may be my new place to work out.

I got out of my car and walked around to the front entrance. As soon as I walked in, employees greeted my excitedly as I went over to the front counter. I smiled at the receptionist, a petite brunette with bright green eyes.

“Welcome! Are you new to this gym?”

“Yeah, it’s my first time here.”

“Okay, want me to explain everything?” she asked with a grin.

I was at the counter for another five minutes, learning where the workout rooms and everything else was at. She also gave me some information on the cost of a membership if I decide to switch gyms. I nodded as she spoke, knowing that I would probably forget most of it later. I also asked her if Annie was working, but she was teaching a class for the next few hours so I wouldn’t be able to talk to her. I made my way to the locker rooms and put my bag away. Even the locker rooms were almost immaculately clean. This where somewhere I can could see Levi-

I nearly smacked my head on the locker when I realized my train of thought was back to him. This couldn’t keep up- it was seriously starting to border on the obsessive. I shook my head, determined to forget about anything and everything if only for a few hours.

I decided to start out running on the track to get started. I pulled out my headphones and put them in, walking up the stairs to the track. I was happy to see that no one else was there. I didn’t mind working out when people were around, but I much preferred it when it was empty.

I put on some good running music and started doing laps. I quickly fell into stride, glad that Armin convinced me to do this. It was relaxing just being able to listen to music and run, not having to worry about a thing. I didn’t have to think about work, Levi, or anything else. It was just me and my headphones.

After a few miles, I started to get bored. I slowed down, starting to cool down. I knew I should go down to the weights since I hadn’t done them in a while even though I was getting tired already. I took a long drink of water before climbing back down the stairs and trying to remember where the receptionist had pointed to when she talked about the work out area. Luckily, it was fairly obvious where it was. I turned around and saw the room full of workout equipment and mirrored walls, starting towards it.

I didn’t have a method to my exercising routing. I just sort of did whatever felt right for the day. I headed over to the free weight section where a few people were absorbed into their workouts. I was about to go over and start when a sight in the corner of my eye made me whip my head around to get a better look.

Off to the corner of the gym, there was a section with a man doing pull ups on the bar. I immediately recognized his small frame and raven black hair. Then again, how couldn’t I? He had only been the main focus of my mind for three weeks. I stood, dumfounded as the universe couldn’t give me a break for one day. It’s not that I didn’t want to see him, but after the conversation with Armin this morning, I didn’t know if I could face him.

I watched as he effortlessly did his exercises in what was possibly the tightest black muscle shirt I had ever seen. I had only seen him in his usual button up and dress slacks, never tight work out shirts and sweats. His body was even more defined than I thought. Every inch of him was toned, but not overly so. I couldn’t tear my eyes away as he continued on, using the strong muscles in his arms to pull himself up over the bar.

I realized I was still standing in the middle of the gym like an idiot, so I tore my gaze away from him and briskly walked over to where I had intended in the first place. My heart was still beating erratically, but I didn’t think it was from the run anymore. Could Levi be any more perfect? It wasn’t enough that he was a rich, successful, attractive author, he also had to have the body of a god.

I cleared my throat and willed myself to keep my eyes straight in front of me. I didn’t want him to see me, mostly because I still needed time to figure out what the hell I felt for him. It was probably just a stupid crush that would go away soon, but I didn’t want to try and find out today.

I started my exercises, working on my upper body first. The longer I went, the easier it was to pretend that Levi was not in fact twenty feet to the left of me. I doubted he would notice me and even if he did, he would most likely just ignore me. We saw enough of each other during the week as it was.

After about a half hour or so, I assumed I was out of the woods because I looked over and didn’t see any trace of Levi. I was exhausted from working out since I hadn’t in a while and was definitely ready to go home and spend some quality time with some shit movies and food. I cleaned off the machine I was on and grabbed my water, drinking the last of it quickly. I exited the workout area and went back into the locker rooms, grabbing my gym bag. I took a fast shower to get the sweat off of me and changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt to leave in. I was standing at my locker, flipping through my notifications I had on my phone. Except for almost running into Levi, I’d say this was a successful trip. Take that, Armin.

“Are you stalking me now?”

I jumped and yelped as the familiar clear voice came from behind me. I dropped my phone in the process of swiveling around to face him. Once grey eyes landed on mine though, it didn’t even matter. He was looking at me with the most amused expression I had ever seen on him. Shit, why was he still here? I thought he had left for sure. My heart resumed the previous pattern of beating uncontrollably as I gaped at him, not sure where to even start. He had thankfully changed out of his tight shirt and into a looser fitting long sleeve black shirt and a pair of dark jeans. I had never seen him in casual clothes before. I could now say with absolute certainty that Levi looked good in everything.

“You sure are jumpy,” he stated, leaning down and picking up my phone from the ground. He dusted it off before extending his hand and offering my phone to me. I took it, still not able to speak at the moment. It didn’t help when our fingertips brushed as he gave me the phone. That was exactly what I was trying to avoid. I cleared my throat and straightened up, trying to get some part of myself back together.

“I didn’t know you worked out here,” I ended up saying weakly. I seriously didn’t need him to think I was some psycho stalker right now.

“I know. I was fucking with you.” The way he said it so simply without any trace of humor was somehow the perfect way to describe him. I chuckled at his response and finally started to breath normally again as he continued to stand in front of me.

“You do that a lot,” I answered.

He rolled his eyes, but didn’t move from his place. “You have any plans?”

I stared at him blankly. It sounded like small talk, but Levi doesn’t do that sort of thing. “Uh, no.”

“Good. Meet me outside.” He walked off without further explanation. Most of him I liked, but the fact that he never informed me what the fuck I would be doing was annoying as shit. I shrugged to myself and picked up my stuff, heading out to find the man.

When I got to the exit, I turned my head both ways to try and find him, but he was nowhere to be seen. I walked around the building; still no Levi. Oh, if he was fucking with me again I was so done bringing him tea when I came over. I waited outside for a few more minutes, thinking he might have got held up inside. After standing for five more minutes, I got frustrated. I eventually gave up my search, convinced that he had indeed left me here as a joke. I trudged back to my car that was parked a good way down the street, feeling worse than I had in a while.

But that changed when my car came into view with Levi casually leaning up against the side of the door. I couldn’t stop the relieved smile that spread over my face even if I wanted to. The thought that even on his and my day off Levi wanted to do something with me was more gratifying that almost anything I could think of.

“It took you long enough,” he said once I reached the car.

“I thought you left me,” I explained, unlocking the doors.

“That does sound like me,” he said with a smirk, opening the passenger side door and stepping in. Alright, I guess we were in fact doing something together. My smile continued on as I slipped into the driver’s seat. Not only were we going somewhere, Levi was trusting me enough to drive. But by the scowl that was on his face, he did not trust my cleaning ability.

“Shit Jaeger, how do you drive this thing in this condition?” he asked, holding up his hands as to try not to touch anything.

I huffed and turned on the car. “Oh come one, it isn’t that bad. You are friends with Hanji after all and I’m a cleaning god compared to them.”

The reminder of Hanji’s cleaning habits only made him grimace even more. I laughed at his obvious uncomfortableness, seeing this as a sort of revenge for the last time I rode with him. You give me badly timed boners; I’ll give you unpleasantly unclean car interiors.

“So,” I said, tapping the wheel, “where to?” I didn’t even try to convince myself that I wouldn’t go with him wherever he wanted to.

“Does that place that you get coffee from sell food?”

“Yeah they do,” I said simply. Internally, I was celebrating the fact that Levi and I were about to eat lunch together. I wasn’t really hungry since I had eaten only an hour or two ago, but I wasn’t going to pass this up. My earlier feelings of wanting to separate myself from him were completely thrown out the window as soon as he stepped inside of my car. All that was left now was the anticipation of being able to get to know him better.

“Then go there.”


	6. Something like that

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren finally realizes what he wants from Levi while Jean is an asshole. But hey, at least he's trying.

 I nodded and put the car in drive, getting ready to go to the same coffee shop I went to almost every day of my life. But, it didn’t matter to me because of a certain raven haired main sitting not even a foot away from me. The whole drive, I was hyper aware of his presence. I kept flicking my eyes over to him, drinking in any detail I hadn’t noticed. After he got over the initial shock that was the inside of my car, he began to relax and look out the window. His profile was complete perfection as he watched the buildings and cars flow past us. I had to remind myself that I was driving and not to kill us because I was so enamored with Levi.

I slowed down when the familiar front of the coffee shop came into view. I parked where I always did, but noticed it was busier than usual. Levi appraised the store with an emotionless expression, which I went ahead and assumed was a good thing. I got out of the car first and waited on the sidewalk for him to exit.

I contemplated holding the door open for him once we were close to the entrance, but decided against it, thinking he might take it the wrong way. Ever since the conversation with Armin, I’d been overthinking every action of mine when it comes to Levi. What if I was unintentionally coming onto him? I hardly think he would appreciate it.

I walked in first, letting Levi take the door behind me. I let myself enjoy the fresh smell of the assortment of coffees as we walked up to the counter. Levi was taking in every inch of the small café. There was a short line of only a few people in front of us.

“It’s not bad, right?” I asked, turning toward him.

“It will do.” Close enough to approval for me.

My smile from being around Levi quickly turned into a scowl when I saw it wasn’t the adorably freckled barista I had become accustom to, and was instead a two toned haired horse working behind the counter. I knew Jean worked here part time, but I had made it a habit to stay clear of the café when he was working. I didn’t even think about it when Levi suggested going. I watched as he trotted around like the horse he was, sloppily making drinks and handing them out to customers with a frown stuck on his face.

“Are you constipated or something?” Levi’s smooth voice said, completely contrasting the frank statement he said.

I looked away from Jean for a moment, sighing and shaking my head. “I know the barista,” I stated as if that would clear up everything. We moved up in line until there was only one person ahead of us.

“And I take it you aren’t a fan of his,” Levi said, watching Jean just as intently as I had been a moment ago.

“Something like that,” I muttered. I didn’t want to deal with Jean now (or ever), but especially not with Levi around. He always brought out the worse in me, and I was afraid that if Levi saw that, he would think I was more of a brat than he already did. I shifted my weight from foot to foot, waiting for him to give the lady in front of us her stupid pumpkin spice latte.

After what seemed like an eternity, Jean and I’s eyes met as the pumpkin spice woman walked out of view. I tried to keep my face passive, but I was sure that it was anything but. I slowly moved upwards, conscious that he was eyeing not only me with that cocky grin of his, but also Levi.

“You know Jaeger, I started to think that you had mapped out my work schedule so you’d never have to see me again,” he said with a smug grin, setting his elbows down on the counter.

“You’re not worth the effort,” I bit back, even though it was a lie. I had indeed done that, but Levi didn’t need to know that.

Speaking of the man, he stayed quiet, observing our conversation with dare I say interested eyes. He didn’t seem to like Jean at all though, stiffening as he continued to stare at the both of us. “Can we just order and leave?” I asked irritably. I learned a long time ago that Jean lived for attention and conflict, so continuing this conversation wouldn’t do any good.

He raised his hands up in a sign of defeat, chuckling as he did so. “Damn, alright then. What can I get for you two _fine_ gentlemen?” He said, dripping with sarcasm.

I clenched my hands at my sides, determined not to let this horsefaced asshole get to me with Levi around. It was bad enough that Levi would undoubtedly have questions about him. It’s not that I didn’t want Levi to know about my past, it was just embarrassing to admit that I dated Jean fucking Kirstein. I ordered a cappuccino, deciding to change things up a bit, and Levi ordered a black tea with some sort of pastry. I went to take out my wallet to pay for mine, but Levi glared at me so darkly I was frozen in place. “I got it,” he said simply, handing Jean a bill. Jean took it tentatively, looking back and forth between us as if he was trying to figure something out. He eventually broke out into a shit eating grin as he rang up our charge.

“So you leave me and go find yourself a sugar daddy, eh Eren?” he said with a laugh.

I immediately felt my face heat up at his implication. Why did everyone think I was into Levi?! And why the hell would he assume he was my sugar daddy? I mean, he can’t be more than five years older than me! While I was stuttering, trying to think of a response, Levi beat me to it.

“And is that a problem?” he said, giving Jean the most frightening glare I had seen yet. His tone wasn’t loud, but holy shit it was commanding and ice cold. Anyone else would assume Levi was completely calm, but I could see the specks of anger that clouded his otherwise neutral demeanor.  Jean’s grin was replaced by a look that could only be described as terrified as he tried but failed to meet Levi’s eyes.

“Um, n-no, of course not. I’ll go get your food,” he mumbled before dashing and putting his back to us.

I didn’t have time to celebrate his embarrassing display before Levi’s implication dawned on me. He had just made Jean think that we were indeed, having sex. My face blushed as bright as a tomato as I turned to the side, not wanting him to see. This was bad- very bad. Even if it was only to get Jean to leave us alone, he had willingly told someone that he was together with someone like me. No, not someone like me, literally me.  In my experience, a straight man wouldn’t have so easily let someone believe that. The thought that he may be into men was one that had my heart beating faster in my chest, the possibility that it was feasible for us to be together swirling through my mind.

“Here,” Jean said curtly, setting our drinks and Levi’s food down on the table. I grabbed my drink and briskly headed away from the counter, not wanting to be in his presence any longer than necessary. I chose a table close to the door and by the window, glad when I saw Levi was not far behind. I ran my hands over my face, then through my hair, mentally exhausted from just that small exchange. Then I remembered Levi was sitting a foot away from me, observing my every move with a hint of curiosity dancing behind those piercing eyes.

I cleared my throat and rested my head on my hand. “So you don’t care if he thinks were…well _, you know,”_ I said lamely.

Levi snorted and took a drink of his tea before responding. “Why would I give a shit of some two-toned asshole thought I was fucking his ex?”

I continued to run my hands through my hair, avoiding eye contact with the intimidating man before me. “But…I’m a guy,” I said quietly.

“I’ve noticed,” he said, flicking his eyes over me. I had to clench my teeth and turn away after I saw his eyes appraise me.

“So you…?” I trailed off. I hope to god I wasn’t not crossing over some sort of line with him asking about his sexual orientation. I had always assumed he was straight, mostly because that’s sort of the default setting for people I meet, but I guess he could be gay or bi. The thought truly never occurred to me.

“I like dick, if that’s what you’re asking,” he deadpanned.

I nearly spit out my drink as he boldly stated his preferences, coughing as I stared back at him. He didn’t seem the least bit perturbed at admitting such a thing to me, but did seem to find my little episode entertaining.

But that didn’t matter, because he was attracted to men, and I was gay, meaning there was a chance. That thought kept swimming through my mind. Of course that didn’t mean anything considering he hadn’t shown any interest in me, but then again, wasn’t he already treating me differently than his other friends? I wondered if he thought I was attractive or not. I didn’t have any misconceptions about what I looked like- good or bad- so I knew I was an attractive guy, but that didn’t make me Levi’s type. I knew for sure he was most definitely my type, though. I sighed deeply, not sure this was the best situation to try and sort of my whirlwind of emotions.

Levi sat across from me, carefully eating his pastry and taking a drink every once and a while. I noticed he kept looking up at me, but he never started a conversation. It was similar to that very first day I met him and he hesitated on whether or not to let me have a cup of tea with him. I could tell he wanted to ask something, but kept deciding against it. I had a feeling I knew what it was and decided to get this over with before it got too weird.

“Jean and I dated for a year,” I started, almost immediately catching his attention. I would have stopped and made fun of his eagerness to hear about my sad excuse for a love life if I wasn’t worried he would blow me off if I did. “We knew each other in high school and were pretty good friends, but fought a lot. It was never anything too serious, though. Just petty arguing and things like that.”

I stopped and took a drink, waiting for him to tell me he really didn’t care at all, but he never did. He only looked at me with intrigued eyes, making me want to continue. “We lost contact through college, but met up again our junior year through a mutual friend. Turns out not much had changed, and we almost immediately got into it when we saw each other again. Except this time, we didn’t throw punches or insult each other. I guess the years of tension just kind of made sense once we realized we were both into guys and we just…” I trailed off, shrugging and shaking my head.

“We started dating shortly after that. We were literally the most toxic couple, but neither of us could see it. And then one night, we’re both completely shitfaced and arguing again, but instead of just fucking like we usually did, I got really pissed and stormed off to go back and stay the night at Armin’s.”

I swallowed thickly, mad that he could still make me emotional after everything he pulled on me. “The next morning, I went over to apologize to him. But when I walked in, he wasn’t alone. He didn’t even try to hide the fact that he had been with someone else. I didn’t wait for an explanation and he didn’t want to give me one, so we sort of just silently agreed it was over.”

I stared at Levi, waiting for the pity or whatever it was people thought was appropriate to give you when they find out you were cheated on. Instead, he through his head over his shoulder and looked at Jean, then back to me with confusion. “He cheated on _you?”_ It was the largest amount of emotion I had ever heard come from the man. I blinked at him, completely taken aback at his reaction.

“Y-yeah?” I stammered, too stunned to say anything else.

Levi narrowed his eyes and looked at me harshly. “You have no idea how fucking ridiculous that is, do you?” I felt like he wasn’t really looking for an answer, so I only ducked my head and ran my hand through my hair. I could hear my heartbeat in my ear as his words ran through my mind. If I even looked at him, I was sure I would explode right about now. He must have thought I was attractive to say something like _that._ Who just goes around saying shit like that so smoothly anyway?! Fuck, I always got so damn virginal and flustered around him, and only from a simple compliment. It felt like I was about to get sick and I sound like a teenage girl with a crush but I couldn’t stop the butterflies that were assaulting my stomach.

“Uh, thanks I think,” I said hurriedly.

He chuckled darkly and shook his head, eating the last of his food while he did so. “Like I said, you’re jumpy as shit today.”

“Well at least I don’t get mistaken for a sugar daddy,” I mumbled into my cup. “How old are you, anyway?” I blurted out unable to contain my curiosity any longer.

He raised an eyebrow as a smirk played on his features. “How old do you think I am?”

“Uh, 27?” I said randomly.

He hummed and shook his head and kept looking at me. I furrowed my brow, a little frustrated over not getting a straight answer. Was I too high or something? “Okay, 26?” I guessed again.

He let out a breathless chuckle and shook his head again. “I’m 34.”

My mouth hung open as I processed what he said. _Thirty-four?_ That can’t be right, he looked way too good for thirty-four. That meant he was a whole twelve years older than me. There must have been something wrong with me, because instead of lessening my affections for him, it only made me more attracted to him. Shit, was that some sort of kink?

“I guess you _could_ be my sugar daddy…” I mumbled.

“Is that an offer?” He said, dropping his voice. My eyes shot up to meet his, going wide as I did so. My whole body was frozen in place even though I was ninety percent sure he was joking with me. Then, he _laughed_ at me. Not a chuckle, but a real laugh. It was smooth and deep, and I couldn’t help but want to hear that sound again and again. His eyes shone with mirth, making me smile unintentionally. I felt as if he as showing me a side of himself that no one else got to see and for the first time, I thought that he could just maybe like me. Not romantically or anything, but at least as a person.

“Christ, your reactions are perfect,” he said, his laugh dying down.

“I’m so glad I can amuse you,” I said back sarcastically. But in reality, I was truly glad I could make him laugh.

Thankfully, he stopped teasing me after that. I didn’t know if I could have handled anymore. I watched him as he daintily finished his food. He was precise, making sure not even a crumb fell on the table or on him. I wasn’t trying to hide my staring, and he wasn’t commenting on it. Our eyes met every once and a while, but I only smiled and then moved them away. It was the most comfortable I had been around someone other than Armin or Mikasa that I could remember.

Eventually, we both finished up and realized it was time to leave. For being glad that I wouldn’t have to see Levi this morning, I was surprisingly upset when I knew we would be parting ways soon. Armin would have a ball analyzing this to death when I told him about my encounter with Levi.

Like most perfect things, it got ruined by an asshole who couldn’t keep out of other’s business. Right as Levi and I were about to get up and leave, I saw Jean walking over to our table. I mentally groaned. I was so close to forgetting about him, but it was impossible now. I took a deep breath and awaited the inevitable confrontation this would turn out to be.

Once he got to our table, Levi looked over at him with a powerful glare. Jean refused to meet his eyes, only looking at me. “Eren, can we talk for a second?” he asked. The pleading tone of his voice shocked me. He looked uncertain, which was warranted considering I had been avoiding talking to him for months. But something about the desperate look in his eyes made me nod, standing up from the table. As much history as Jean and I had, we were good friends once. I couldn’t just turn him away when he looked that depressed.  Levi’s eyes widened by only a fraction, but I still noticed it. I gave him a reassuring smile and a shrug as I walked off with Jean to the back of the coffee shop.

He took me back until we reached the exit, stepping out into an alleyway. I propped the door behind us in case it locked, crossing my arms over my chest and waiting for Jean to start. He was pacing nervously in front of my, refusing to look directly at me.

“Okay, this is really hard for me, so for once just keep your mouth shut while I talk, alright?” he mumbled.

I sighed loudly, but agreed with him.

“I’m sorry for being an ass to you, Eren.”

I momentarily forgot all my anger towards Jean as I stared back at him, completely taken aback. In all the times I knew him, he had never once apologized to me. Not for anything. I was always the way asking for forgiveness, even if I didn’t know what for.

“And I don’t just mean in there,” he added. “I mean the whole fucking mess.” He finally looked at me, emotion swirling in his amber eyes.

I ran my hands through my hair and shut my eyes. Just when I thought I was content hating him for my entire life, he has to go and do this. I leaned up against the hard wall of the building, not sure how to respond to him.

“It’s just, this is the first time I’ve seen you with someone else after we broke up. It’s not like I want to get back together, but it just made me think I guess. And dude, are you seriously screwing him for money?” he asked while grimacing.

“No!” I shouted. “Jesus Jean, we aren’t even dating. He’s a coworker,” I explained swiftly. I couldn’t believe that after what he had done to me, Jean was actually jealous. It was completely hypocritical. But I still saw the relief that flashed over his features.

Jean and I both knew how screwed up our relationship was. But before we crossed over that line, our friendship had been strong. When my mom died, Armin and Mikasa didn’t know what to do with me. I hated the world and everything in it, so I refused to listen to reason. I did some stupid things, and probably would have kept doing them if it weren’t for Jean. He was the one to sit me down and tell me straight that I was being selfish by pushing the people who cared about me away, and I needed to get my shit together for them. That was the first night I thought about Jean in a way other than friendship. He was my first everything, and I was truly happy with him for a while. I just wish we never would have let our friendship die out. I think we were both holding onto our relationship because we just wanted to feel the same way as we were young, but having sex only complicated things.

Jean’s face scrunched in confusion. “Then why…?”

I shook my head and chuckled softly. “I don’t really know. He wanted you to stop fucking with me, I guess.”

He scoffed and shook his head. “I believe you two aren’t dating, but there’s more to you two than coworkers.”

I threw my hands up in the air and let them fall at my side. “First Armin, now you. There is nothing going on with Levi and I,” I stated firmly.

“Really?” Jean said, raising his voice. “Because you were looking at him like…like you used to look at _me.”_ His voice almost cracked as he said the last word. “And he was looking at you like you’re the only person in the goddamned world.”

My heart was pounding in my chest as the words he spoke sunk in. I _couldn’t_ look at Levi like that because when I was with Jean, I thought I loved him. If Jean thought I felt the same way towards Levi, he had to be wrong. I had known him for barely three weeks, and even though I felt _something_ for the man, it wasn’t love. At least not yet. And the one thing I was positive about was Levi thought even less of me. Maybe he liked me as a person, but that’s as far as it went. The amount of pain I felt in my chest at that thought was unbearable. Why was it so important to have Levi like me? Why did I always want to be around him? Everything I had been avoiding was beginning to fall back on me. I closed my eyes and buried my face in my hands. I felt the tears begin to form in my eyes, but refused to let them fall. I didn’t cry when Jean cheated on me, so I sure as hell wasn’t going to let him see me now.

“Shit,” Jean said quietly. I heard him walk over, but stop when he was right in front of me.  “Did I hit a nerve or something?” he asked nervously.

“Something like that,” I mumbled from my hands. I wiped at the corner of my eyes to ensure there were no trace of tears left. I opened my eyes to see Jean staring at me with pure concern in his eyes. “What exactly do you want, Jean?” I asked with a sigh.

He stiffened and cleared his throat. “I guess I just want to be friends again, Jaeger. We both know we were the worst couple of all time, but not being able to see you is sort of a bummer. I mean, who else will put up with my shit?”

“No one,” I retorted with a small smile. “That’s why I was your only friend.”

“Armin was my friend,” he replied indignantly.

“No, Armin was my friend and tolerated you, idiot.”

We both laughed, and for the first time in months, I felt light around Jean. Like all of our bullshit was thrown out the window, and we were starting over. For real, this time. No more hook ups or dates; just being friends again.

“So…” he said awkwardly. “We’re good, then?”

I rolled my eyes, then patted his shoulder. “We’re good.”

He smiled, and this time it was back to that annoyingly smug smile and nodded. “Good. So now can you tell me what’s really going on with Shorty?”

My eyes widened at the nickname. “Do not _ever_ say that in front of him. And like I said, we’re coworkers,” I said clearly.

He let out an exasperated sigh as he opened the door back into the coffee store. “But you want more, am I right?”

I froze in place as he looked at me like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Did I want more? I stepped inside and my eyes immediately landed on the raven haired man, tapping his fingers on the table impatiently. I roamed my eyes over his slender form, trying to understand why I loved being around him so much. I liked our random conversations, but I loved it when he would tell me something personal about him more. I was unreasonably excited whenever he asked to do something with me, and would never think of turning him down. My eyes eventually found their way to his face, and I saw he was already looking back at me. His grey eyes darted all over my body, like he was checking to make sure I was okay. My heart swelled in my chest at the thought. I wanted him to care about me, to protect me. I wanted him to think about me when I wasn’t around him.

In short, I wanted Levi.

“Fuck,” I whispered.

“That’s what I thought,” Jean said, clapping me on the shoulder. “Now, want me to speed things along?”

I looked at him blankly, completely lost. “What the fuck are you talking about?” I asked.

He rolled his eyes at me and walked closer to me. “I mean with Shorty over there. He thinks he’s being all sly but I know he’s been watching us this whole time. Want me to make him jealous?”

“Levi wouldn’t get jealous of me,” I said quickly. “or you,” I added with a grin. Judging from Jean’s expression, that was the wrong choice of words. It was the same expression he wore when something was completely impossible, yet he was going to try and do it anyway. I knew I had fucked up. “Jean I swear if you say ‘challenge accepted’ and so some incredibly stupid thing- “

My sentence was abruptly cut off when Jean’s lips found mine. At first, I was so shocked I merely stood there. I remember when my heart used to beat practically out of my chest when Jean and I would kiss, but it didn’t anymore. I stayed still until I came to my senses, pushing him off of me and wiping my mouth with my hand.

“Fuck. You.” I spat at him with no real malice.

He only laughed and stepped away from me, hands held up. “I didn’t say ‘challenge accepted’, did I?” he asked with an innocent smile. “Oh, and I think it worked. You were too caught up in enjoying our goodbye kiss to notice, but he looked pretty fucking shocked once we pulled away.”

I darted my eyes over to Levi, but he wasn’t looking at us. I could believe Jean, but that never got me anywhere. I shook my head and said my goodbyes to him as I walked back over to the table, asking Levi if he was ready to go. He very curtly answered yes, and stalked out of the door.

I drove Levi back to the gym in somewhat uncomfortable silence. He asked about Jean and I’s conversation, but I only told him that we were on good terms. Despite the run in with Jean, I found myself unable to contain my excitement. For the first time in, well, years, I felt something for someone, and they just happened to be sitting next to me.

Whether he felt the same, I would have to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First- thank you to everyone whose given feedback and kudos, it's so very appreciated. I try and reply to most of the comments but I know I miss a few so I'll try harder!  
> Second- I'm super excited about the next few chapters guys. We're getting closer to real Ereri ;)


	7. Jealousy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren gets worried when Levi won't contact him, and things get personal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early update because I'm super excited about this chapter! It's a little short but plot related :)

Two days.

Two days without a text or call from Levi. Over the past few weeks, we had started texting about other things than work. Sometimes I would ask him if he had left the house that day, which would usually get me the answer of “Fuck off, I’ve been busy.” Regardless, we talked every day, even if it was as simple as that.

But in the past two days, it had been complete silence on his end. I asked if he had another chapter done; no answer. I asked if he was feeling alright; no answer. I even went to Eld, and apparently Levi almost never emailed him unless it was to bitch about his editions, but he hadn’t even done that.

I could handle him being angry with me easily. But to completely cut me out was agonizing. So on the third day of no contact and probably a dozen or so calls and texts from me, I resolved to figure out what was wrong. I couldn’t help but think it had something to do with the last time we saw each other. Was he upset over something that happened when I was with Jean? Or was he upset because I _kissed_ Jean? I shook my head at the notion. Yeah, that wasn’t it. I forced myself not to think about the fact that something worse could be going on. If something happened to him, I didn’t know what I would do.

Wednesday after work, I trudged into Hanji’s office. Hanji and Levi were friends, so they had to know something. I didn’t care if I was breaching Levi’s trust at this point; I was seriously considering the idea that something horrible had happened to him. I practically ran through the office until I was faced with the familiar door of Hanji Zoe. I knocked twice, impatiently waiting as I heard rustling coming from inside the office.

The door opened as I was faced with the now familiar but still mildly disturbing face of Hanji. “Eren! It’s so good to see you, come in, come in!”

I flashed them a quick smile and slipped into the door as they shut it behind me. “Hi Hanji,” I greeted curtly. They sat on the chair behind their desk, so I sat down across from them. I was surprised to see that the desk was actually quite clear of papers and folders. It was almost completely clean, which was odd enough, but the fact that all of Hanji’s shelves were also neat and orderly was downright _wrong._

They sighed loudly, causing me to turn my head. They had been watching me as I took in the new look of the room. “I know, it’s _clean_ now. I left that shorty in here for ten minutes and look what he does!”

My eyes widened, completely ignoring her upset over her office. “Levi was here recently?” I blurted out.

They looked away sheepishly as if they weren’t supposed to tell me that. “Nope, different shorty,” they said with an obviously fake laugh.

“Hanji,” I said, almost embarrassed at how desperate I sounded, “Levi hasn’t contacted me for three days now and I’m seriously worried about him.”

Their eyes softened as I tried my hardest to reason with them. “Please just tell me if he’s okay,” I added.

They sighed in defeat, leaning forward and threading their fingers together on their desk. “He’s…yes, he’s okay. As okay as Levi can be, I suppose.”

“Did something happen?” I asked worriedly.

A small smile crossed over Hanji’s features. “You really care about him, don’t you?” They asked in the quietest tone I had ever heard Hanji speak in.

I could try and deny it, but at this point, it was becoming more and more apparent how much I really did care about him. When I started to freak out over not being able to contact Levi, Armin had easily deduced it was because of the mystery author I had told him about. If he wasn’t convinced I had feelings for him, he certainly was now. And the scary part was, so was I.

The days without being able to hear his voice and see him showed me just how far my feelings went for him. It hadn’t even been a week, and I was already losing my mind. It wasn’t a crush anymore, that was for sure. I had never felt the need to be around someone as much as I did with him. But first, I had to find out what the hell was going on with him. “Yeah. Yeah I do,” I said firmly.

“Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what’s going on with him. It’s just not my story to tell.” I nodded, albeit upset, but I understood his issues with privacy. “What I can do is tell you that if you go over to his place after work, he won’t turn you away. Whether he will tell you what’s going on, I have no idea.”

I blinked at them. The one thing I never considered was dropping by his place because I was sure he would literally kill me if I did so without warning him. It just didn’t seem like an idea that would do any good, at all. “How could you know that?” I asked skeptically.

They rolled their eyes dramatically. “Oh I don’t know; I’ve only known the grump for ten years.”

I frowned, still not convinced. If something was bothering him, the last person he would want there is me.

“Don’t believe me?” they asked, mirth in their eyes. “Do I really need to spell it out for you?” They asked exasperatedly.

“Yes!” I almost yelled. We were finally getting somewhere.

They adjusted their glasses. “Oh, why didn’t you just say so? Here’s what I know about you and Levi: One, he gave you his phone number. He doesn’t give his personal number to anyone he hasn’t known for at least three months, and you meet him once and bam! Two, you _go places together._ It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but Eren, it so is. I can’t tell you the last person who he has willingly gone out with. And three, he talks about you all the time. It’s always ‘the brat did this today,’ or, ‘why can’t you make tea like Eren’?”

By the end of her spiel, I could feel my face heating up. I would have never guessed that Levi even thought about me after we met, let alone talk about me to his friends. That had to mean something.

“What I’m saying,” they continued, a warm look in their eyes, “is that he may not show it in the conventional ways, but you’re special to him, Eren.”

My eyes widened and my throat went dry. I could feel my heart beating in my chest and it felt like my stomach just filled up with a whole fucking swarm of butterflies. This wasn’t the first time Levi had made me feel this way, not even close. But it was the first time I felt as if I actually meant something to him, too. I was determined to find out if Hanji was right, and if they were, what the hell I should do about it. “T-thanks, Hanji. I’ll go see him after work.”

“Great!” they said loudly. “Oh and Eren,” they said as I was getting up. “Don’t try and force him to open up, okay?”

“Of course, Hanji,” I muttered, walking out of the room.

That day, I got about twice as much work done as usual trying to keep myself occupied. I tried and tried to come up with reasons why he would be upset, but none came to me. The I realized it was probably because I hardly knew him. Well, I knew _him,_ just not much about his life. I had small pieces of information he would give me when he was feeling particularly relaxed, but that was all. I didn’t know about his childhood or even if he had family still alive.

As soon as the clock turned to six, I rushed out of the door. I heard my team of editors mocking me or something of the sort, but I ignored them. I had much more important things to be doing. I just prayed Hanji was right and he was okay.

I sped down the street, thanking whatever force out there for not getting me pulled over. I couldn’t even begin to care about going twenty miles over the speed limit at that moment.  After what seemed like forever, I found myself parking in Levi’s lot, quickly shutting off the engine and stepping out. I took a deep breath and looked at the building, fidgeting with my keys. What if this was a horrible idea and he kicked me out? I paced back and forth outside of the door, eventually just giving in and punching in the code. A clicking noise was heard as the door opened. I briskly walked inside and hit the button for the elevator before I could chicken out.

I rode in the elevator like I had plenty of times before, trying to figure out what it was I was going to say once I got in. If I got in, I reminded myself. I could just start out like I normally did and act like nothing was wrong, or I could try and confront him about the past three days. Neither option sounded very good, but I hadn’t exactly planned it out. If he had been reading my texts, he would know how worried I was at least.

Once I was on Levi’s floor and walking to the door, my mind was flooding with reasons as to why this was a bad idea. But the single thought that he could need my help was all it took for me to hesitantly knock twice on the door, my fist shaking slightly as I did.

After a minute, I got no response. I knocked again. Nothing. “Levi?” I called.

“Brat?” I heard him grumble from behind the door. He sounded different to me, like he hadn’t slept for days.

“Yeah, it’s me. Can I come in?” I asked. I held my breath as I waited his answer.

“It’s open,” he yelled back.

A wave of relief crashed over me. I just needed to see him, then I would leave if he wanted me to. But I had to make sure he was okay first, and by the sound of him, that wasn’t entirely the case. I stepped in, stopping on reflex to remove my shoes. Once they were off, I scanned the room for Levi, my eyes immediately falling on him.

Levi was not okay.

He was sitting on the couch. The first thing I noticed was the array of alcohol bottles messily arranged on the table in front of him. Some were empty, and some were half full. Levi himself was in a state I had never seen before. His usual freshly ironed button up shirt was half way unbuttoned, leaving his toned chest exposed for me. As much as I wanted to let my eyes linger, I couldn’t because I was drawn to his hair that was hastily slicked back out of his face, but not it a way that made me believe it was on purpose. He was staring off at the window, eyes void of any emotion.

“Jesus Levi,” I mumbled, stepping into the room. “Are you drunk?” I didn’t imagine him to be a drinker at all. And I simply couldn’t imagine him drunk.

“I don’t get drunk,” he answered stubbornly.

I kept getting closer to the couch, waiting for him to tell me to leave. When he didn’t, I sat down beside him, nervously looking at him. He dropped his eyes and slowly locked them with mine. Even with the way he was right now, I felt my breath hitch as our eyes met. I swallowed thickly, trying to remember why it was I came over here.

“I was really worried about you,” I started, frowning slightly. “I texted and called- “

“I know,” he replied quietly.

“You just ignored me, then?” I tried not to sound angry, but I was sure I did. He had been deliberately avoiding me when he needed help. It was just like him.

“I…fuck, I guess so,” he said, letting his head hit the back of the couch. Drunk Levi was surprisingly honest. I wasn’t getting anywhere with him, but at least he was speaking to me.

“So…” I started awkwardly. “What is all…” I motioned to the bottles around him, and then to his disheveled form. “this? I didn’t picture you as a drinker.”

He sighed loudly and shrugged. “I’m not. Usually, at least.”

I bit my lower lip and continued to observe him. I didn’t know where to go from here. Something was definitely wrong, but he didn’t seem the least bit inclined to tell me. I felt like if I just asked him, he would get defensive and storm off. I had gotten the hang over sober Levi, but drunk Levi was new territory entirely. “Any particular reason you’re drinking?” I asked cautiously.

“I need a reason?” he drawled out, lazily turning so he was looking at me with a cocked eyebrow.

“Yeah, you do,” I snapped, harsher than I intended. I didn’t know why I was getting angry now, but I was. “I was sure you were dead or something, Levi, and now I’m trying to help you and you’re completely dismissing me! I’m not saying you have to open up to me or anything, just tell me if I can do something,” I pleaded.

His eyes widened fractionally at my outburst. He turned away from me, then slid up higher on the couch, resting his elbows on his legs. “No, you can’t do anything. Stop acting like you can fucking fix me, Eren,” he snapped. Normally, I loved when he said my name. But when he said it then, it was full of malice and anger. I knew he was drunk and probably didn’t mean it, but it hurt. I was hurt, and from one simple phrase from him.

 He refused to meet my eyes, which was odd because it was usually me doing that. I felt defeat rush through me. He was pushing me away, just like he always did when we talked about personal things. I know Hanji said not to push him, but I was his friend, wasn’t I? If this was Armin, there was no way I would just sit back and watch him hurt like this.

But the truth was, I had no idea what to do for Levi.

I stayed there for a few more minutes, a loaded silence hanging in the air. I didn’t want to leave him like this, but he obviously had no intention of telling me anything. My presence here wasn’t helping anyone. My heart sank at my complete and utter uselessness. The one time I could help Levi, and here I was doing nothing. He really was better off without me.

I got up, resigning myself to let him be in peace. There was nothing left for me here. I would call Hanji and fill them in, and hopefully they would come over and do something about Levi. I was about to start walking when I felt a firm grip on my wrist pull me back down on the couch with a surprising amount of force.

I huffed as my back landed against the back of the couch once again. But what made my heart stop wasn’t the fall, or even the grab on my wrist. Levi let go of my hand, slowly crawling up onto my lap until he was straddling me. I watched with wide eyes as his arms went on either side of my head, caging me in. When his greyish blue eyes bore into mine with a level of intensity that should be illegal, I wasn’t sure whether I was scared or incredibly aroused. Probably both.

Every part of me wanted to grab his waist and pull him the few inches needed for our lips to meet. I could feel his breath over my face and wanted nothing more than to taste those perfect lips. But I couldn’t. Levi was drunk. There was no fucking way I would take advantage of him. At the same time, I wasn’t sure how to get him off of me, or if I even wanted him off of me. I kept my hands fisted at my sides, struggling not to reach out and just _touch_ him.

He leaned in so his mouth was right by my ear. His hair fell against my face as he got closer and closer to me. I clenched my jaw, making sure to noises came out of me. My breathing became harsher and my pants tighter. _Shit shit shit._ This couldn’t be happening. I would die if Levi noticed I was getting hard because he was drunkenly straddling me. “Shit, I’m sorry,” he said, eyes filled with regret.

I swallowed thickly. “It’s fine, Levi. I should get going anyway.” Now I needed to go for a completely different reason.

“Going home to pony boy?” he purred into my ear. I froze up, completely turned on from his lust filled tone. His breath ghosted over the shell of my ear as he spoke.

“W-what?” I struggled to say.

He pulled back so I could see into his eyes again. My breathing stopped when I saw hurt in those perfectly grey eyes. “The kid from the coffee shop. You two are back together, right?” he said distantly. I noticed he was trying to seem uncaring, but something in his eyes told me he did care, and a lot.

I furrowed my brows, happy that thinking about Jean was beginning to calm my dick down. But leave it to Jean to completely fuck up someone’s else’s relationship. He must have thought our kiss was a reconciliation of our relationship rather than whatever the fuck it really was. “No, we decided to be friends,” I said slowly. “Then he was being an ass and kissed me out of nowhere.” I didn’t mention it was because he was trying to make Levi jealous. No, that wouldn’t help anything.

Levi searched my face for any signs of doubt. The next thing I knew, I felt his head resting on my left shoulder, a long sigh coming out from him. I felt his raven hair against my neck as he rested there, content as could be. His arms wrapped around my neck, and hello, my dick was back in action. I shuddered as his arms tightened around me. God dammit, why did drunk Levi have to be so affectionate?

“Uh, s-should I go now?” I stammered.

“No,” he said darkly, tightening his grip. Something was seriously wrong with me because that commanding tone caused a wave of arousal to shoot through me. Shit, how many kinks did I have? “Stay with me,” he said so quietly I wouldn’t have heard if he wasn’t right next to my ear. I closed my eyes, nodding against him. I didn’t think I could physically move away from him after hearing that. 

“Eren,” he whispered. I bit my lower lip so hard I drew blood trying to keep myself quiet at his words. I had wanted to hear that since I first laid eyes on him whether I realized it or not. Levi had only said my name a handful of times, but never in that tone. I couldn’t explain what that did to me. I tried to shift my hips away from him now that I was sporting a half hard erection just from the sinful way my name spilled out of his lips. “I want you to do something for me.”

My hands were clenching and unclenching at my sides, trying not to just latch only him and feel every inch of him. “What?” I breathed out. This was dangerous. I knew I couldn’t do anything with him now, even if he asked.

“Read my book.”

My eyes shot open. Okay, that wasn’t what I was expecting, but he just gave me permission to learn something about him. I sighed deeply. I couldn’t take his as truth, though. I would have to wait until morning at least to try and figure out if this is what he really wanted.

“You don’t mean that,” I whispered into his hair.

“I do,” he snapped. “You don’t even need my fucking permission, yet you’ve waited. Most people would have said fuck it and read it a long time ago. But you’re not most people.”

I felt my face heat up with a blush. Levi was complimenting me again and that wasn’t something I was used to. The way it made me feel, like I had finally won over the only person that matters, was intoxicating. “I thought I was a brat,” I said teasingly.

“Yeah,” he said with a snort. “But you’re my brat.” I felt him slump against me, nuzzling himself against my neck.

What…what the hell did that mean? A million different feelings rushed through me in that moment. Levi had just… _claimed_ me as his. And I was surprisingly okay with that. If I hadn’t figured out how I felt about him, I sure as hell did then.

“Lay down, you’re practically frozen in place,” he said against my neck.

 I chuckled at the action, sure that he would never act like this sober. He was fucking adorable, and I knew I would never forget this. But maybe since he probably wouldn’t even remember it, I could indulge just a little. I took my shaking hands from my sides and positioned myself so I was laying with my back on the couch. Levi was still attached to me, either too tired or too content to complain. Once I was comfortably laid out, I grabbed a blanket that was thrown over the back of the couch and wrapped it around both of us. He had asked me to stay, after all.

 I tentatively wrapped my arms around him, hearing a content hum come from him. He shifted around so his face was securely nuzzled in the junction of my neck and one of his arms thrown across my chest. I swallowed audibly, praying he couldn’t hear my heart beating like a fucking hummingbird. Having Levi wrapped around me, laying together- it all seemed right. Righter than it had been with Jean or the few relationships I tried after him.

Levi had fallen asleep within minutes. I sat with a goofy smile on my face, too happy to think about the ass kicking I was going to receive in the morning. Because right then, was cuddling with a very peaceful sleeping Levi, and I couldn’t ask for more. He looked more relaxed than I had ever seen him. His dark eyelashes fluttered against his pale skin, his mouth partly open and breathing deeply. I closed my eyes, surprised at how tired I had already become. Even though I still hadn’t figured out why he was so drunk, I had a feeling I had helped somehow, anyway. And that’s all I ever wanted to do for Levi. If I could be there for him whenever he needed, then I had done my job. As hard as it would be if Levi never returned my feelings, I would put up with it in order to be around him.

I hadn’t meant for it to happen, but I had grown so relaxed that before long, I was falling into a deep sleep, the words “My brat” spinning through my dreams the entire night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm nervous for the next few chapters. But the next one is from Levi's POV!


	8. Levi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi's point of view chapter. The morning after his drunken mistake. Even more awkwardness.

Fuck.

I’ve been through shit worse than most people could even dream of. Horrible, revolting shit. And I’m not even talking about the time Hanji decided to try cocaine. That doesn’t even break the top five, and believe me, Hanji and cocaine don’t mix. But this- this I couldn’t handle.   
Waking up snuggling against Eren Jaeger was not something I was equipped to deal with. At first, I was pleasantly surprised at the added warmth of being pressed up against his firm chest. I was too out of it to notice who it actually was I was laying with. But once I realized it was him, my alarm bells started going off. I froze in place, too afraid that if I moved I would wake him, causing even more awkwardness. Honestly, I didn’t want to move. He was like a fucking heater.

When I started to remember the events from last night, I buried my face further into his neck. God dammit, I made a fucking fool out of myself. Jesus, did I crawl onto his lap? Yeah, I’m pretty sure I did. He probably thought I was some slutty alcoholic now.  I can only hope I didn’t tell him why I had been drinking so much.

Two, (well I guess it’s three now) days ago, I was convinced that shitty brat he reunited with his ex. Sure, I was jumping to conclusions, but the pleasant smiles and a damn kiss seemed like proof enough to me. After what Eren had told me, I was furious. How could he go back to someone who treated him like that? Eren was too good for him, no doubt about it. And he didn’t even realize it. I found myself thinking that if I was with Eren, at least I would never cheat on him. And the more I thought about that, the more I thought about being with him. In many, many ways.

 I didn’t want to lie to him, so I just ignored him. Obviously that wasn’t the right choice. I think he was genuinely angry at me. Christ, I had even gone to _Hanji_ and told them about it I was so upset. That was by far the worst decision I had ever made. They suggested I drink in the first place. If I had to guess, they probably sent Eren here knowing full well that I wouldn’t be in my right mind.

Something about that insanely annoying, yet completely endearing kid drew me towards him. Ever since he had somehow known that he should ask me before reading my book, I began to look at him differently. He was perceptive and didn’t push me even though he had every right to. He called me out on my shit when I needed it and gave me shit himself. I even started to look forward to our little meetings every week. It was easy to talk to him, which was extremely rare for me. And _fuck,_ he was gorgeous. Long, tan legs, a slim waist, obviously muscular torso, and eyes that put any Disney princess to shame.

I could still remember the way his arms were wrapped securely around me on my motorcycle that day when we went to go get tea. For the first time in years, I welcomed another person’s touch as soon as I felt it. I felt safe with him because I knew Eren would never hurt me like everyone else had.

I should have never let him in like this, because it was only going to cause me and him pain in the end. People don’t stay in my life long. I eventually make them see what a mess of a human being I am, and they leave to save themselves. Hanji and Erwin were the exceptions, only because they’d forced their way in and wouldn’t get out. Eventually, Eren had to realize I wasn’t any good for him. He’s too young, too perfect, for someone like me.

And thus, the reason why I decided to get shit faced was an ideal option.

I had been getting too comfortable with him. Every time he touched me or smiled at me, it was as if another piece of my walls fell down. I tried to damn hard to keep people out of my life, yet as soon as he strolled in, I couldn’t see myself without him. The only way I would save both of us a hell of a lot of trouble was if I started distancing myself again. I couldn’t ruin someone as pure as Eren. Everything was going according to plan until he showed up last night.

I can still see the flushed, wide eyed expression he wore as I wrapped my arms and legs around him, being closer than I had ever been to him. He was confused and surprised, but there was something else in those turquoise eyes of his. Something that told me he wouldn’t have held back if I was sober. The fact that he stayed when I asked him was enough to tell me how much he cared. It was clear he liked me, but one look in his eyes wasn’t enough to tell me he wanted something more. I knew what I looked like- if I straddle a gay, twenty-two-year-old, they’re going to react. 

I was brought back to reality when Eren shifted beneath me. His long arms tightened their grip around my torso, making me shudder. Cuddling was never my thing. I much preferred having my own space, away from others. But this…this was nice. I felt his chest rise and fall evenly, lifting my head slightly as it did. He smelled good, almost like vanilla. I was disgusting and still in my clothes from last night, but I didn’t want to leave whatever this feeling was. I peered over at the clock above the kitchen and saw it was only seven. Eren didn’t have to be to work till nine, so I guess I wouldn’t wake him yet. And moving would probably wake him, so I stayed put.

I tilted my head to look at his sleeping face. His chocolate colored hair was in an even more disarrayed display than usual. I didn’t think that was possible. His plump, extremely kissable lips were parted enough to tease me. He looked content, and for the first time since I met him, his emotions weren’t dancing across his face, easily read by me. I hesitantly lifted one of my hands, aching to touch him. I gave in, carting my hand through his soft brown locks. I pushed them back out of his face, him sighing as I did so. His hair was amazingly soft, softer than I imagined. I grew bolder, letting my hand slip down towards his face. I cupped his face, careful not to wake him. I let my thumb run over his lower lip, a soft sound emitting from him as I did. My breath hitched at the sound. Fuck, he was responsive even in his sleep.

I let out a shaky breath. It would so easy to lean down and capture his lips with my own. He wouldn’t even know that it had happened. I could just do it once to get it out my system, then never think about it again. Without realizing, my face inched closer to his until I could feel his breath fanning over my parted lips. They seemed to come faster than before, but I could have been imagining it. My heart was racing as I internally struggled over whether or not to do this.

“Fuck it,” I breathed out silently. I closed the last inch of space between us, pressing my lips against his in a chaste kiss. As soon as our lips brushed against each other, I realized the gravity of my mistake. It was like fire shot through my entire body. I closed my eyes, fully letting myself succumb to this brat under me. This wasn’t like any other kiss I had ever experienced, and the god damn kid wasn’t even awake. I wanted to deepen it, push my tongue past his parted lips and be able to taste him, but this had gone far enough as it was.

I pulled away slowly, praying he hadn’t woken up. His eyes were still glued shut, but I noticed he was definitely breathing harder now. He was stunning, even when he didn’t do anything.

“Shit,” I whispered. I sat up, surprised his arms didn’t tighten this time. I slipped off the blanket that he had put around is and untangled our limbs. This was bad. I had let myself do something completely stupid, and now there was no way I would be able to cut him out of my life.

After all the rustling around, I couldn’t believe he was still asleep, but he hadn’t opened his eyes. He hadn’t moved at all, actually. I shook my head and placed the blanket back over him, stepping away from the couch. I needed to get away from him before I did something really stupid.

I briskly walked up to the stairs. A shower would be good. Showers were always good. I stalked up the stairs, hoping he would sleep until he had to be at work so he would rush home. I didn’t want to face him then, not when I was so worked up. I didn’t want to see the pity or disgust or whatever it was he felt towards me. I went into my room and to my dresser, blindly picking out some clothes. I would usually dress better, but I wasn’t thinking straight. Eren asked me once why I always choose to dress nicely, even when I was at home. I think I brushed him off and gave him some half assed answer. I grew up with nothing, living in filth and wearing anything I could find or steal. Now that I have the chance, you’re damn right I look nice whenever I could.

I closed the door behind me louder than I intended, stripping off my alcohol scented clothing as soon as I could. I went over to the shower and started the water, putting it as hot as I could physically stand. After a few minutes, I stepped in, letting the scalding water pour over me. It was the perfect distraction. I didn’t think I could ever feel bad in a shower. I ran my hands through my hair, closing my eyes as I did so. I could pretend everything was back to normal like this. Eren wasn’t downstairs, I hadn’t just kissed him, and I certainly wasn’t harboring feelings for him.

But he was downstairs, I did kiss him, and as much as I tried to deny it, I had started to develop feelings for him. I growled and slammed my hand against the door of the shower. A month and a half. That’s all I had left, and Eren would have no reason to be in my life. I couldn’t corrupt him any longer after that. I knew the more I was around him, the more likely it was I would hurt him somehow. The last thing I ever want to see are those beautiful eyes filled with tears because I was such an asshole. I mean I just fucking assaulted him in his sleep. Obviously, I wasn’t good for him.

I scrubbed at my body mercilessly, trying and failing to think about anything other than Eren. Every time I closed my eyes, those green eyes were there along with his goofy ass smile. As I continued to think, clearer memories started to surface from last night. Shit, I had told him to read my book. Honestly, it could have been worse. As personal as that book is to me, Eren deserved to know. Here I am lusting after him, yet I hadn’t even let him see the most basic parts of me.

There was something else I had done, though. Something I knew at the time would come back and make me regret it, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. Something about being a brat…

I shrugged it off, finishing up in the shower. I turned off the water and exited, grabbing a fluffy white towel to wrap around my waist. I brushed my teeth and took my time drying my hair, still not looking forward to the conversation I was going to have to have with Eren once I went back downstairs. I picked up the clothes I hastily grabbed from my room. Turns out it was a simple long sleeved grey shirt and a pair of jeans. I put them on and looked at myself once more in the mirror.

“He’s just your shitty brat, you can do this,” I mumbled at myself. I brushed through my hair once more, then stood in front of the door and put my hand on the knob. With a sigh, I opened it.

The cold air washed over me as I turned to my right, stepping down the first stair. I could see the couch from here, but didn’t see Eren laying on it. I frowned slightly. Maybe he was getting breakfast in the kitchen? I walked faster down the stairs. Once I reached the bottom, I went over to the kitchen, but he wasn’t there either. There was no sign he had even gotten a drink or any food. I started to get nervous. Had I completely freaked him out last night? He seemed alright, if not a little confused, but definitely not weirded out enough to bolt like this.

“Eren?” I called. My voice rang through the apartment with no answer.

I stepped out of the kitchen and back into the living room. The blanket had been neatly folded, but what caught my attention was the square piece of paper sitting in the middle of it. I sat down on the couch and picked it up, recognizing Eren’s chicken scratch as soon as I saw it.

_Morning Levi. I went back to my apartment to shower and get new clothes. See you next time._

  * _Eren_



I re read the note over and over. That didn’t sound like him at all. He wouldn’t leave me after a night like last night, and especially not with a half assed note like that. But he had, hadn’t he? He didn’t even check to see if I had a damn hangover (which luckily, I didn’t have.)

I sighed and threw the note down, leaning back against the couch. I rubbed my temples with my hands, feeling a headache starting to come on. I had assumed that the kid would just take it as drunken stupidity, but maybe he really had been uncomfortable. I could usually read him like a fucking book, but my mind was clouded from the alcohol.

 I dropped my hands and looked at my table in front of me, searching for my phone. Maybe he had texted me or something. I cursed to myself after I realized how desperate that sounded. I thought I remembered leaving it on the coffee table with the assortment of alcohol I had taken out last night. I frowned when I saw the table. had been a complete mess last time I saw it, but it was now clear of all of the bottles, my phone sitting in the middle. It must have been Eren. So he’ll clean my coffee table, but won’t stay long enough to see me. I rolled my eyes, picking up my phone.

Five texts, all from Hanji. I groaned, flipping through each one.

_Leeeeevvi. Please tell me you and Eren did the do._

_I’m asking him as soon as he comes into work_

_Wait, are you going at it right now?_

_LEVI PLEASE_

_Fine, I’m coming over._

“God dammit,” I mumbled, checking the time on the last text. It was only five minutes ago, so I would have a little time to get my story straight. But first, I needed to call Eren. It was pissing me off that he didn’t give me any explanation. I guess he didn’t really need to, but wasn’t it polite or some shit to let someone know when you leave their apartment?

I went to his contact and hesitated. I was just going on about how I should distance myself from Eren, and now that he’s doing that to me, I was bitching about it. What the fuck is he doing to me? I’d never been like this, and I’ve had my fair share of partners. I hated the idea of staying away from him, yet I didn’t want him to be around me because I know he’ll only end up resenting me. Christ, I was fucked up.

I threw my phone on the couch, resigning to wait until Hanji left to decide what to do with Eren. I still don’t know how Hanji found out that I liked him, but they did. They’re ability to analyze me is insufferable at times. I got up and walked to the kitchen, preparing to at least start this shitty morning out with some tea.

I was just pouring myself a cup when I heard the incessant knocking of Hanji coming from my door. “Good morning, Levi!” their voice rang out.

I walked with my mug in my hand, sighing as I did. I opened the door and was greeted to a wild mop of a ponytail, thick rimmed glasses, and an eerie smiling face.  Hanji was dressed nicely, as they always were when working, in a button up dark blue shirt and a fitted black vest. “Hi, Four-Eyes,” I said unenthusiastically.

They frowned and stepped into my apartment, taking off their shoes immediately. “That doesn’t sound like the voice of a recently laid man.”

I rolled my eyes and started walking over to the couch, knowing they would follow me. “We didn’t fuck. We aren’t going to fuck.” I mumbled the last part mostly to myself.

“Not with that attitude you won’t!” They yelled from behind me.

I slumped down in the couch, determined to ignore most of what they were shouting at me. I took a sip of my tea, momentarily forgetting my troubles in the warm liquid. Eren would like this kind. I hadn’t let him try it yet, mostly because he seemed fond of the simple black tea I make for him. Dammit, I was already thinking about him!

“Le-vi?” I heard Hanji call in a sing song voice.

“What?” I snapped.

They only laughed, toppling over the couch and settling down next to me. “I asked what happened when Eren came over last night. Now you answer,” they said, poking my ribs.

I swatted their hand away. “I should have known you planned this,” I muttered.

They stared back at me, unimpressed look on their face. “Stop avoiding my question. _Something_ must have happened if you refuse to answer me.”

“Nothing happened,” I said firmly. If I told Hanji what really happened, they would never let it go. Ever.

“So you wouldn’t mind if I went ahead and told Eren that if he didn’t give me every detail I’ll fire him?” They asked with a delighted grin.

I narrowed my eyes and glared the living shit out of them, but it didn’t seem to have any effect anymore I knew they would never fire him over something like that, but Eren might just be gullible enough to believe it. Not to mention he doesn’t know Hanji like I did.

“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth. They squeaked in joy, bouncing up and down on the couch. I rolled my eyes at their childish behavior, but continued anyway. “By the time he got here, I was pretty drunk- thanks to someone,” I said, flashing my eyes over to them. “He tried to ask what was wrong but I sure as shit wasn’t going to tell him. So he started to leave.” I trailed off, hoping Hanji would leave it at that. How naïve I was.

“Aaand?” they drawled out, eyes wide with fascination.

“And, that’s the end,” I lied. “He left, I went to bed.”

They cocked an eyebrow at me, obviously picking up on my lie. “I can call him in five seconds, Levi.”

I groaned and shook my head at them. “You’re a nosy shit, you know that?” They nodded with a smile. “He didn’t leave. I…sort of didn’t let him,” I mumbled.

“Why not?” They asked curiously.

“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “I just knew I didn’t want him to leave. So he stayed.” I stopped once again.

“Levi!” they whined loudly. “You know I won’t judge you for whatever stupid shit you obviously did, so just tell me!”

“Jesus Christ, fine!” I almost yelled. “I straddled him and wouldn’t take my hands off of him, then I told him to read my book. He stayed the night, cuddling with me. Happy?” I refused to look over, afraid of what I would see. That…that was very stupid of me. I couldn’t think of any other way they would stop harassing me, honestly.

“You…you _straddled him?_ How did that not lead to sex?” they cried.

“Maybe because he’s a decent human being and I was drunk as shit,” I scoffed at them.

“So you’re saying if you weren’t drunk, something would have happened?” they asked eagerly.

“I...” I groaned, letting my head hit the back of the couch. Hanji waited patiently for my answer. “Maybe. Fuck, I don’t know. The little shit left before I could even talk to him.”

“Really? That doesn’t sound like him.”

“I know!” I said a little too loud. Hanji noticed, giggling at my enthusiasm.

“Are you sure you didn’t do anything weird?” They asked incredulously.

The whole night was pretty fucking weird, but he honestly didn’t seem too weirded out by my drunken actions. There was this morning, but he had been asleep for that momentary lapse of insanity when I kissed him. Fuck, I had really done that. If I thought I was going to be able to forget about him, I was wrong after that. “Other than the obvious, no.”

They pouted and sat back against the couch with me. As eccentric and downright annoying as Hanji was, I always appreciated their help. Their completely nonjudgmental and occasionally quite helpful with problems. “Well, you need to talk to him as soon as you can,” they said with a shrug.

“What the fuck am I supposed to say? ‘I’m sorry for getting drunk and almost fucking you into the couch’?”

“Well I was thinking more ‘thanks for coming over and helping me out,’ but that works too,” they said with a giggle.

“Fuck off,” I said with no real anger.

We sat on the couch, staying quiet for most of the time. At least I did- I sipped at my tea while Hanji spoke about work and Eren mostly. I nodded a few times, trying to act as if I was interested. It was oddly comforting having them there, even if they were going on and on about trivial matters.

Suddenly, I felt their arms grab my shoulders and was giving me the most frightening smile I had ever seen from them. Which was saying something. “LEVI.” They said firmly.

“Shitty Glasses,” I deadpanned.

They squealed in delight, shaking my shoulders as they did. I grimaced, trying to get her to back the fuck off, but they were adamant on holding me in place. “Levi I have the best idea I have ever had! Oh this is perfect!”

I cocked an eyebrow, slightly interested but mostly skeptical of whatever it is they had come up with. The last time they suggested anything that had to do with my love life, they had secretly signed me up for online dating, and that went as well as you would think. “What is it?” I asked slowly.

“I’m sending you on a book signing!” They stared at me as if it was the instant solution to all of my problems.

I blinked at them, convinced they had finally lost their mind. Their grip on my shoulders didn’t lessen as I was continually stared at. “Go home Hanji, you’re officially bat shit crazy.”

“No wait!” they yelled. “Listen- this is perfect. You’re sort of behind on the book you’re working on, right?”

I nodded. Since Eren came into my life, I had been using more of my time for him than anything else. If he knew that, I was sure that he would completely blame himself, so I’ve been avoiding the topic with him. It’s not like I minded, anyway.

“Okay- so you take an all-expense paid vacation via Wings of Freedom because you’ve been feeling stressed, but you’ve got to work on something, so I’m making you do a book signing. And yes I’ll make sure all your requirements are set. But guess who will come with you since your refuse to meet your editor?” They were giving me a mischievous grin, one that made me uneasy.

“If you say ‘Hanji’ I’m literally throwing you out the window.”

“God no, you’re so dense sometimes!” They sighed exasperatedly, throwing their hands in the air. “It’s Eren! Eren goes with you, you go explore New York or California or wherever you want, fall in love, have tons of sex, then come home a couple!”

I looked away from them, silently contemplating her idea. It was unrealistic to think that we would get together just because we got some alone time with each other. And once again, did I even want to be with Eren? I obviously wanted him, but those same doubts crept into my mind. I wouldn’t be good for him or he would get tired of me after the initial newness of the relationship wore off. There were a thousand ways for this to go wrong, and I could only see a few where it actually worked out between us.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Hanji said in a gentle tone. “I get that you have trouble letting people in because of…well, your past. But Eren’s different and you know it. Please Levi, give this a chance.”

I closed my eyes and let their words sink in. In truth, I was tired of letting my past control me. But it was just so damn hard to forget about what happened. I’d lost the only two people I ever cared about. If that happened to Eren, it might destroy me. If we were to become closer, I couldn’t imagine what would happen.

But, what if he wanted this, too? I could be being selfish. If for some twisted, masochistic reason Eren wanted to be with me, then it wasn’t only my feelings I would have to consider. If he was dumb enough to want something more, I knew I wouldn’t be able to tell him no.

“I’m not hearing a ‘no’,” Hanji said back excitedly.

I scoffed, shaking my head. The fact that I was even considering an idea of Hanji’s said how desperate I really was. If anything, at least Eren would get a little vacation out of it. “Tch, fucking fine. But you take care of booking everything, I’m shit at planning that.”

Hanji enveloped me in a tight hug, squealing as they did. I could hardly breath as their inhumanly strong arms squeezed around me. “Oh my god, thank you Levi! Eren is going to be so happy, I don’t think he’s ever traveled before.”

I smiled when they couldn’t see me, thinking of his bright eyes when he stepped off of a plane and into a different and new place. He would no doubt be like a small child, bouncing with excitement and joy. Alright, maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea.

“I was thinking New York because your book has been on the best sellers list there for forever,” Hanji said.

“That’s fine.” The destination itself didn’t really matter to me now that the idea starting to form in my head. I would have _days_ alone with Eren. I couldn’t help but get a little excited myself. Christ, I was more than a little excited. I could show him all the perfect places there I know he’ll love, introduce him to different foods, everything. And once we spent some time together…maybe I would try something. If the mood was right, and I felt like he wanted it to, then maybe. I can already imagine the way those blue green eyes would darken with lust, staring up at me hungry and impatient. The sounds he’d make when I would finally touch him, every part of his body, to claim him as mine. The way he’d arch his back when…

“I can get you leaving as early as two weeks with my connections,” Hanji said, breaking me out of my fantasy.

I didn’t doubt that- Hanji was capable of truly amazing things when it came to traveling. “Talk to him and see the soonest he can go,” I replied.

“Will do!” They jumped off the couch and hurriedly picked up their things. “I’m going to start right away. But I swear if you don’t tell me every detail of this trip, I’ll make you pay for everything.”

I rolled my eyes, knowing full well that money wasn’t an issue for me. “Sure. Just get it ready.” And with that, they pumped their fist in the air triumphantly and sprinted out of my apartment.

I smiled to myself, thinking of all the possibilities of this trip. In the end, there was no way I would be able to hold myself back from him once we were there. This was going to happen, despite my fears and doubts. Eren Jaeger, whether I would admit it to anyone else or not, was fucking special. I couldn’t let him go. He would be _my_ brat at the end of this trip.

I picked up my phone and scrolled to his contact, sending him a quick text. He might be upset with me now, but he wouldn’t be once Hanji told him what was going on.

_Pack your bags, Eren. I’ve got a surprise for you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me just yet. I promise Eren had a reason. It's fine.  
> Thanks for everyone's amazing comments and feedback, I've never gotten such good responses before!


	9. Hanji's Solution

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back to Eren's point of view, we find out why he left so abruptly. And the trip is on!

I’ve always handled problems the same way. I’d go at them head first, holding nothing back. It was sort of what got me the nickname Suicidal Bastard in college, but it usually worked out for me. But in the last 48 hours, I had been cleverly avoiding all of my issues.

When I stayed the night at Levi’s, I had panicked when I woke up. It wasn’t over the night before- oh no, that had been fine. It wasn’t even over the fact we had slept on the same couch practically on top of one another. It had been what happened right after Levi woke up, when he thought I had been sleeping.

Levi _kissed_ me, and that thought ran through my mind over and over again until it was a constant background noise in my mind. I had been so stunned that I just pretended to be asleep, afraid he was stop if I woke up. Even though it was short, that kiss was the single greatest kiss I had ever had. I wanted nothing more to deepen it, let his tongue invade my mouth and lace with mine, but it had been over before I could do anything. And once he got up, I panicked.

It could have been just the heat of the moment for him. Or maybe he was just delirious from the hangover. He certainly freaked out after he did it. Whatever the reason, I knew I had to get out of there and fast if I didn’t want to make an even bigger idiot out of myself. I was afraid that things would be awkward if he knew I was awake when he obviously didn’t want me to know what he had done. Which, by the way, would have been a little creepy if I wasn’t so damn attracted to him. I should have waited until he got out of the shower, or at the very least left a better note than what I had. I was an asshole, and I knew it.

But from everything he told me, what if he really did feel something for me? Had I made a huge mistake in running away? If I had responded, could Levi and I be together right now? Those questions plagued me for days after our encounter. One way or another, I knew I had screwed it up. My one chance with him had been spoiled because I was too afraid to act. I was determined to never let that happen again.

What made me even more confused was the text I received shortly after I left. Levi had told me to pack my bags, for what, I had no idea. I tried asking him about it, but he only told me to talk to Hanji. So that morning, it was the first thing I did. Turns out, I would be accompanying Levi on his vacation to New York in two weeks.

Levi and I, alone together in a state I’d never been too before.

At first, I tried to protest. I couldn’t take a free vacation from someone, and I certainly didn’t think Levi would like the idea of a babysitter. Not to mention the thought of being around Levi for a whole week with no interruptions was too much of a temptation. I had a bad feeling that if I did end up going, I wouldn’t be able to hold back from Levi.

But, once Hanji told me that Levi was absolutely fine with the idea (and after I called him to make sure that was true), I began to reconsider. If he was okay with it, even welcomed it if the tone of his voice on the phone was anything to go by, then I didn’t really have a choice. I’d never traveled, barely even been out of the state, so how could I pass this up? It was an opportunity that I would never get again. And if Levi wanted me there, and there was that kiss…could he want this just as much as I did?

After telling Armin, he agreed that I should go. Actually, he insisted. I think he might have been more excited than I was. He had wanted to meet him, but I was afraid that it would somehow mess things up. I promised Armin I would introduce them as soon as we got back. I accepted, but also added he had to bring Annie because they were now officially dating.

Mikasa was a different story entirely.

“ _No,”_ she growled out over the phone.

“Mikasa please,” I pleaded with her. “This is an insane opportunity and I’ll never get it again. I swear, Levi really is a good guy.” _More or less_ , I thought to myself.

“ _You’ve known him for barely two months, Eren, and you want to travel across the country with him? What is he to you?”_   Her tone implied she knew much more than I was telling her. Leave it to Mikasa to be able to detect any lie I tried to tell her.

“He’s an author and my friend,” I answered honestly.

“ _Really? My friends don’t take me on expense paid free vacations.”_

” Then get better friends,” I mumbled. I heart a faint sigh come from the other end of the phone. I hated lying to her, but I wasn’t ready for my overbearing sister to know I had feelings for a man I had known for a short period of time and was planning on jumping him as soon as the moment was right.

“ _Eren,”_ she sighed, “ _I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”_

“I know. But you can’t protect me from everything, Mikasa. I would love it if you gave me your blessing to go, but I’m going either way.”

There was a pregnant silence. I stood, frozen in place while she remained quiet. Finally, she spoke.

“ _Fine. But I meet him as soon as you get back.”_

“That’s absolutely fine,” I answered with a smile. I couldn’t believe it was going as well as it was. She hadn’t even gone into one of her spiels about safety yet.

The two weeks went by quickly. I kept delivering and picking things up for Levi, but the atmosphere between us had changed. I pushed the boundaries with him further than I had before; touching him more often and making some failed attempts at flirting. But he never tried to embarrass me for it. It almost seemed that he _welcomed_ it. He didn’t recoil when I would lay my legs on top of his or move me when I occasionally set my head on his shoulder. One day, I had gone over a lot later than usual due to a stressful day at work. Instead of kicking me out, Levi insisted I stay the night because he was afraid I would fall asleep behind the wheel. We stayed up watching movies, and I somehow end up with my head on his lap. He simply ran his fingers through my hair, the feeling unbelievable calming, until I fell asleep. I woke up tucked into a blanket on his couch with breakfast waiting for me.

I didn’t really know what we were anymore. We were friends, but there was an unmentioned element to our relationship that was definitely more than that. We shared simply touches, but never crossed the line into anything less innocent.

As I packed my bags, there was another problem. I was riffling through my desk trying to find some old books I could read on the plane when my eyes landed on Levi’s. I picked it up, hesitating to throw in my suitcase. He did say he wanted me to read it, but he was drunk. And it wouldn’t hurt if I took it, just in case. I slipped it into my carry-on bag, hoping he wouldn’t try and burn it on the plane or something.

And that is how I ended up sitting on a plane by Levi, in first class, eagerly bouncing my leg up and down as we prepared to take off. He gave me shit about being nervous for the flight since I had never flown before, and I taunted him with statistic about the cleanliness of airlines. Overall, it was exactly what I had come to love about our interactions.

“Try not to sleep,” Levi said, shifting in his seat to get more comfortable. “We’ll get in late, so you’ll want to be tired.”

I nodded, the smile never leaving my face. Even without the thoughts of what could occur between Levi and I on this vacation, I was beyond excited. Although I knew very little about New York, Armin went on and on about it when I asked him. He seemed to enjoy it whenever he went for work, so I was convinced it was going to be perfect.

As we settled in, I looked over the aisle and saw a woman, young and attractive, trying to say something to the stewardess, but it didn’t appear she spoke any English. I thought I heard her speaking French, but I couldn’t be sure since my knowledge of languages was very little. Levi noticed too, watching silently as she spoke in a mixture of English and French to the confused flight attendant. He sighed, then leaned over and cleared his throat.

“She’s asking when we’ll land,” he said to the blonde stewardess. She sighed in relief, glad that someone could understand the woman.

“Could you tell her around ten?” she implored. I watched in fascination as Levi leaned over and made eye contact with the woman.

“Nous arrivons A dix,” he said in flawless French. My eyes widened as the words flew from his mouth in his sinfully sexy voice. That was so fucking hot. Apparently I would have to add a language kink to my growing list. She smiled widely, and I assumed thanked him.

I was smiling curiously at Levi as he turned back, raising an eyebrow at me.

“So where’d you learn to speak French?” I asked.

His jaw tightened noticeably as he heard my question. He paused, and for a while I was sure he was planning on ignoring my question.  Then, he turned to face me, eyes staring directly into mine. He looked as if he was contemplating whether or not he should tell me. I gave him space so he could make his decision on his own. I wanted Levi to open up, but I wouldn’t force him. Finally, he spoke.

“My mother,” he said softly. It was the first I had heard of either of his parents. I didn’t even have any assumptions about them because he was so quiet about the topic. I nodded my head in understanding. I wanted to ask more, but I didn’t know how much he wanted to divulge at this point. He answered my own question, clearing his throat and beginning again.

“She was born in France. My father was American, but had a business trip there, and they fell in love. There were a lot of trips back and forth, so they eventually decided America would be best to raise a family. She taught me it when I was young.” His eyes had wondered away from me, looking almost fond as he recalled his family. But there was pain there, too. I’d seen that look before. It was the same way I looked when I thought about my mom. That bittersweet moment when you recall a wonderful memory, but you know you won’t ever see that person again. I wanted to reach out to him, tell him I understood. I knew it was crossing a line, though. He was obviously uncomfortable talking about this, and having me touching him probably wasn’t going to solve anything.

“She died when I was young,” he said quietly. “My dad left not long after. Don’t know why, never saw him again, though. I lived with distant relatives afterwards.”

His story was so similar to mine it shocked me. I nodded sympathetically, not exactly sure how to respond. I knew talking about himself was not something he enjoyed, so I decided to change the topic. He had given me a piece of him, something I had never know, and that was enough. More than enough, actually. “My mom tried to teach me German when I was young. She ended up quitting because apparently I didn’t have the patience.”

He glanced over at me, the pain in his eyes ebbing away as I rambled on. He rested his head against the seat, watching me with interest. I decided to go on, sensing he was genuinely interested. I never told him about my mother or father; it wasn’t a topic that I talked about often. But I didn’t necessarily dislike talking about them. It was difficult to say the least.

“I remember she’d sit me down every night and try and teach me a new word, but I’d never remember the one from the night before, so she had to start over again. It was exhausting for both of us. “I shook my head at the memory. My mom was the most patient person I have ever met, but not even she could deal with that. I flicked my eyes over to Levi who was watching me with the smallest hint of a smile.

“Your eyes light up when you talk about her,” he said beside me.

I gave a weak smile and nodded. “She was the best.”

Levi picked up on the fact that I talked about her in the past, his trace of a smile vanishing. We both knew that we understood one another, and that loss was something in both of our lives. I could sense there was more to Levi’s story, a dread creeping up in me that made me think it was worse than I could imagine. Levi studied me, never taking his eyes off of me. I wanted to look away, but I was frozen under his gaze.

“I didn’t know her, but I’d have to agree if she raised a son like you.” It was spoken with so much sincerity that if I hadn’t just watched him, I would have thought I was hearing things. This side of Levi was different from anything he’d shown me before. I felt my heart skip a beat in my chest and my face heat up. I was positive he could see my blush, but I couldn’t move still. I _needed_ this man. He had a way of making me feel at home and at ease even when I was at my worst. With just a few simple words, Levi could make all my fears and doubts fade away.

I smiled at him, this time a truly genuine one. I didn’t care if I was as red as a tomato, I needed him to see how happy he made me. I saw a smirk cross over his features, but if anything, it was a lot closer to a real smile than I had seen before.

“Want to watch a movie or something?” he asked abruptly.

“Uh, sure,” I said, clearing my throat and turning away. “My laptop is in my carry on, we can use it.”

He nodded, leaning forward and grabbing my suitcase. I hadn’t actually meant for him to get it out for us, but that was fine, too. He unzipped it, taking out my laptop and setting in on my lap. He was about to close the zipper when I saw him hesitate, looking into the contents of my bag. My heart stopped when I realized what he was looking at.

He picked up the small, simple book and held it is his hands. He ran his hand over the cover gently, as if he had never seen it before. I swallowed, trying to gauge his reaction. He had a pensive look on his face, but it didn’t seem angry. “You brought my book?” he asked in a level tone.

I scratched the back of my neck, worried over his seemingly calm reaction. “Y-yeah. I don’t know if you remember, but you sort of asked me to read it a few weeks ago.” I kept my eyes straight ahead, afraid of what his expression was. “But I haven’t started it if you changed your mind,” I added quickly. “You weren’t exactly yourself.”

He flipped the book over a few times, examining it closely. I sneaked a look at him through the periphery of my eye and was completely shocked when I saw a gentle, almost peaceful look on his face. “I meant it. Just don’t read it around me. Makes me uneasy.” He set the book down in my bag and zipped it up, quickly morphing his face into a passive expression.

“Thank you,” I murmured, trying my hardest to convey how much this really meant to me. It was impossible with just a simple thank-you, but I couldn’t think of anything else at the time mainly because my heart was beating so fast I could barely hear myself think.

“Just put the damn movie on,” he mumbled. I shot him a grin, opening my laptop and turning it on. I set up the trays in front of us, giving us a perfect table. Once the computer had booted up, I put it on the trays, and looked back over to him.

“Any preference?” I asked.

“Anything,” he said, scooting closer to the center of the seat. He set his arm on the armrest, brushing it against mine as he did. I bit my lower lip, enjoying that contact more than I should have. I thought he would pull away, but he kept his arm firmly in place, not the slightest bit bothered it was against mine.

“Okay then,” I breathed out. Fuck, he was getting me flustered over a few compliments and an arm touch. I clicked on some random action movie that had halfway decent reviews, handing one of the headphones over to Levi. He put it in his ear, and to both my horror and deep satisfaction, leaned even closer to me. If I were to turn my head, I was sure we would only be inches apart. His breath would fan over my lips, and mine over his. I swallowed, trying to forget about our proximity.

About an hour in, I had relaxed again. The movie wasn’t great, but it kept my attention enough. I noticed Levi kept fidgeting, not being able to get comfortable in the small seat. I knew what would help him. It was obvious, really. But suggesting it was a whole other story. I bit my lower lip, no longer paying attention to the movie.

Just when I had resigned myself to try and ignore him, I heard a long sigh come from him. He scooted even closer to the middle of the seat, then with a somewhat hesitant look, rested his head on my shoulder. My eyes widened, but I refused to look down at him. I felt his surprisingly soft raven hair glide against my neck causing a shudder to rack through my body. I had initiated contact before, but he had never done it himself. Fuck, he couldn’t just _do that._ My heart was pounding in my chest so hard I was afraid he could feel it. My right arm was holding onto the arm rest so hard my knuckles were turning white.  After a few minutes of terrifying silence, he finally spoke. “This okay?”

I only managed a weak nod, not daring to let him see whatever my face was doing.

“You’re tense as fuck,” he mumbled from my shoulder. It reminded me of the night we slept together, when he was so close to me, basically cuddling into my neck. I was immediately reminded of the kiss we shared, which was not helping anything. I shut my eyes, drawing in my breath evenly, trying to relax. It was nearly impossible with the most attractive person I had ever met currently resting on my shoulder, warm breath tickling my neck.

“S-sorry,” I muttered. I could practically feel the smirk on his face.

For the rest of the flight, we watched movies, trying to keep one another awake. I learned first class airline food was amazing, and the service was just as good. If I was amazed by this, I can only imagine what New York would be like. I got more comfortable with the causal touches Levi would send me, mostly consisting of our hands brushing our when he would position me so he would have more room to lay his head. After I stopped being catatonic around him, I started to enjoy it. I never thought Levi would be so relaxed around me, but it was a happy surprise. A few times, I debated intertwining our fingers, but realized that was too intimate for the casual contact we had been sharing.

Finally, nearly four hours later, we were told to get ready for landing. We were both stir crazy and exhausted, but somehow managed to get all of our things out of the plane and safely in our hands. My eyes dropped as we walked through the amazing large airport, too tired to even take in my surroundings I knew Levi was just as tired as I was, but he trudged on, glancing at signs and keeping me close to him.

“Levi, I think I’m dying,” I groaned as we made our way to baggage claim.

“I bring you to New York and the first thing out of your mouth is a complaint. Fucking brat,” he responded with a sigh.

“ _You_ brought me to here?” I asked skeptically. I had thought he was only going along with this because Hanji had made him bring me.

I must have been hallucinating from the jet lag, because I swore I saw a faint tint of pink on Levi’s face as he turned away from me, avoiding my question. Could he have really wanted me here? I smiled to myself. Yeah, I wasn’t getting out of New York without making a move on this man.

We successfully got our luggage, then started moving out of the airport once again. I trailed behind Levi, watching as he easily slipped through the crowds of people, never stopping once. We made it outside into the brisk night air. I got my first glimpse of the city that we would be spending a week and a half at. Even though I was half asleep, I still could already see the beauty. I turned around, trying to see anything in the surprisingly light night. Levi watched me with interest.

“You have plenty of time to see the city tomorrow. Let’s get to our hotel,” he said, grabbing my arm and tugging me toward a taxi. I nodded, smiling sheepishly at him.

We put all of our luggage in the taxi, then crashed into the back seat. I had been awake for hours, and it was getting to me. I’d probably sleep all day tomorrow, ruining the chances of exploring on the first day. But, we did have more than a week. I put my head against the car and closed my eyes, faintly hearing our taxi driver ask us something. Probably where we were going.

I distinctly heard Levi’s voice, but didn’t register what he was saying. My eyes opened, only to see Levi looking at me with a soft expression. I wasn’t even awake enough to blush at him this time, only sending a sleepy smile at him.

“We’ll be there soon,” he said quietly. I nodded, closing my eyes again.

A shake to my shoulder alerted me that I had fallen asleep. I blinked my eyes, realizing we must have already gotten here while I passed out. Levi was already getting out of the car. I yawned and did the same, albeit much slower, but still made it out. Levi paid the driver while I got our things out of the back, not even bothering to look around.

Once inside the hotel, I was awe struck. My experience in hotels had been run down old motels that Armin, Mikasa and I would stay in whenever we went on road trips, but this was nothing like that. It wasn’t overly large, it was small enough to have a homey feeling, but it was beautiful. Everything was immaculately clean (I had a feeling Levi had a hand in picking out this place) and was furnished with sparkling chandeliers, marble topped tables, and paintings like I had never seen. The people at the front desk noticed us, giving us sincere smiles. I trailed along with Levi much like a child would his mother.

“Good evening gentleman, checking in?” a friendly looking woman said from behind the desk. I immediately looked to Levi.

“Yes, Levi Ackerman. We should have two rooms.”

She clicked away on her computer, frowning as she did. Levi stared at her impatiently, waiting for her to finish up. I was getting a little impatient myself, deciding that I would let Levi deal with this and go use the restroom. He nodded when I told him where I was going, tapping his fingers on the table in front of him.

The bathroom was just as impressive as the lobby of the hotel, but I was too anxious to really appreciate it. I finished up quickly, going back and seeing Levi waiting by the elevators for me. We got into one and rode it silently.

I followed Levi out of the elevator and watched as he went to room 607. I stopped beside him, waiting for him to give me the key to my own room. He tapped the key against the door, turning so he was facing me. “Hanji messed up the reservation,” he said. “We’re both in one room.”

I swallowed thickly, nervousness filling my stomach. Okay, that was fine. No big deal at all; I would just be sharing a room with a man I had feelings for. It’s not as if we were sharing a bed or anything. Were we? “With…with two beds though, right?” I asked anxiously.

He only turned away from, unlocking the door with our room key. I stepped in beside him, watching as the room lit up when he turned the light on. It was a small room, not that I was complaining. There was a bathroom to the immediate left, and a small hallway leading to where I assumed the beds were. Levi went into the bathroom right way, to wash his hands is my guess. I chose to go further on, walking through the hall and into the bedroom area.

There was one, queen sized bed in the center of the room. Big enough for an intimate couple, but too small for say a pair of men who had no intimate relationship.

I looked around and noticed further down the room, a small couch and two chairs were set up in front of a television. Okay, I’d just sleep there, then. It was rather small, but I had dealt with worse. I set my suitcase down, looking around at the beautiful hotel room. There was a balcony straight ahead which I would take advantage of as soon as it was light.

Levi exited the bathroom, also exploring the room. His eyes landed on the single bed, then back to me. I cleared my throat, my tiredness suddenly disappearing. “I’ll just take the couch,” I said awkwardly.

“No,” he replied rather quickly. He seemed surprised at his response himself, turning his head to look away from me. “That’s a shitty excuse for a couch.”

I rubbed my hands together, trying to figure out another solution. What was I supposed to do, then? “Uh, then what should we do?”

He shook his head and walked back over towards the bathroom. “Just get in bed and sleep.”

I watched as he walked out of the room, closing the door to the bathroom behind him. Well, alright. I set my suitcase down by the bed, riffling through it, trying to find something I could sleep in. I definitely wasn’t going to wear my jeans and sweatshirt I had been in for the last day. While I was somewhat unpacking, I heard the water start in the bathroom. He was seriously taking a shower right now? I laughed my myself, shaking my head.

I managed to find a pair of cotton pajama pants that would be comfortable as hell. I stood up and stripped off my dirty clothes, setting them on the bedside table. Once I was changed, I slipped under the covers of the soft bed, sighing as I did so. I didn’t get a shirt since the room itself was pretty hot. I curled up in the blanket and pillow, reveling in the comfort it provided. It had been too long since I had been in a bed. I felt a little bad that Levi would be sleeping on the couch, but as my eyelids began to close, my guilt faded.

I had just started to get into a deep sleep when I heard the bathroom door squeak open. My eyes fluttered as they tried to adjust from the obtrusive light the bathroom was letting in. I faintly saw the outline of Levi walk out, but I was too busy trying to get rid of my temporary blindness to really see him. My eyes adjusted eventually and I saw Levi leaning over, going through his suitcase.

I let out a shaky exhale at the sight. His hair was still damn from the shower, his usual bangs slicked backed on top of his head. My pulse raced as my eyes dropped lower, seeing Levi’s torso in all its alabaster glory. He had neglected to put on a shirt. Even in my nearly dead from exhaustion state, my eyes were glued open, trailing over his sculpted body. I had the perfect view of his amazingly toned physique as I watched the muscles move with his body as he went through his suitcase. He was perfect in every sense of the word. He had strong, yet lean arms and a six pack I just wanted to dip my tongue in and memorize every bump and groove of. His pajama pants hung low on his hips, exposing his downright sinful hipbones I wanted to suck until I left bruises there. God, I was so fucked.

He didn’t seem to notice I was awake, carefully folding his old clothes and setting them aside. I kept my eyes on him as he turned back to the bathroom to turn off the light. Good, that was very good. One more second of looking at those back muscles and I might be awake enough to have a problem in my thin pajama pants.

He shut the door of the bathroom, leaving our bedroom in darkness. I closed my eyes, trying to will away the images of porcelain skin and rippling muscles. Yeah, those images were going to be etched into my brain for the foreseeable future.

I almost let out an embarrassingly loud noise when I felt the bed dip behind me. _Oh fuck._ No, no that couldn’t be happening. Levi could not be sharing a bed with me half naked and still wet. Because if he was, then I would have a very big problem. I curled inward, shutting my eyes tightly and wrapping the blanket further around me. He still thought I was asleep, so as long as I didn’t give myself away, I could simply get up and sleep on the couch after he was asleep.

I felt the bed dip further, signaling he was fully on it now. I wanted to scoot over even more so we would have ample amount of space in between us, but he would know something was up. I felt him untuck some of the blanket from me, wrapping it around himself. I kept my eyes straight ahead, but I knew he was right behind me. If he was turned on his side, all I would have to do is press up against him, then we would be against one another, his skin against mine, strong, pale arms wrapping around me…reaching lower…

_Fuck_

I could feel my erection pulsing in my thin pajama pants, begging for attention. I was wide awake now, not able to focus on anything else. I needed to get out of there before Levi noticed. Or I needed to take care of my issue. He might not even notice if I slipped my hand underneath my waistband right here, right in front of him. I had to cover my mouth with my hand as a wave of arousal crashed over me at the thought. Shit, I couldn’t do that, what if he _did_ notice me?

“Stop moving around,” he grumbled from behind me. We were so close that his voice sounded right beside my ear. I was grateful I had covered my mouth, because the tiniest of whimpers escaped my throat at his words. I swallowed, removing my hand from my mouth, trying to keep myself under control. Alright, so he knew I was awake.

“S-sorry.” It came out almost as a gasp. I squeezed my eyes shit even tighter. There was no way he didn’t hear the neediness in my voice after that. _Please, please don’t say anything. I_ think I would die, right there, in a bed with Levi, with an achingly hard dick.

“Go to sleep,” he said darkly. I nodded even though he couldn’t see me.

It was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're so close...next chapter should be fulfilling.


	10. Breaking Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something has changed between the two men, and Eren can't seem to handle it anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Check the tags. You've been warned.   
> This is a really long chapter, but I think its worth it.

When I woke up, Levi was already showering, getting ready for the day. I rolled around in the bed, already missing the warmth that he provided. I managed to finally calm down after my…incident last night and fell asleep. I was excited to start my sort of vacation with Levi even though I wasn’t sure I would make it without making an idiot out of myself.

I closed my eyes, smiling to myself. Ten whole days with Levi, and it had only just started. I grabbed his pillow, pulling it against myself. It smelled like him, and as embarrassing as it was, it was comforting to me. I nuzzled into it, too tired to even think about what I was doing.  I was almost asleep again when I heard a chuckle from behind me.

My eyes shot open as I turned around in the bed, a smirking Levi standing beside me. He was wearing a tight black sweater and an even tighter pair of dark jeans. I blushed brightly, burying my head back in the blankets. He laughed again, and I felt the bed dip as he sat down. “Have I been replaced by a pillow?” he said teasingly.

“Shut up,” I mumbled into the sheets. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

In an instant, I felt the sheets ripped off of me, exposing my still bare chest to the cool air. I whined in protest as Levi only chuckled at me. “It means you cuddled the shit out of me last night.”

I scoffed and shook my head. I had been awake for most of the night, afraid to even get near him. There was no way I got within six inches of the man. “No way. You would have kicked me out of the room.”

He shrugged. “It was cold, you were warm. I didn’t mind.” And with that, he ruffled my hair with his hand and stood up from the bed.

I blinked at him as he walked back into the bathroom and shut the door. Embarrassment combined with complete confusion flooded me. Had I actually fell asleep and gotten too close to him? If I had, it was impossible to believe he would have just let me do it. But then again, he certainly wouldn’t joke about something like that. I sat back down on the bed, grabbed the nearest pillow and groaned loudly into it. I seriously couldn’t figure Levi out.

It took me another ten minutes to leave the warmth of the bed and another twenty to be ready to leave the room. I threw on a plain shirt and a pair of jeans before Levi got impatient, sighing loudly very often and eventually waiting for me in the lobby downstairs. I went down the elevator shortly after and found him sitting on one of the chairs, flipping through his phone. He noticed me walking over to him and pocketed it, getting up and leading me towards the exit.

“So,” I said cheerfully, walking beside him. “What are we doing today?”

We walked through the doors, immediately greeted by the brisk air and multitude of different sounds around us. My question was forgotten as soon as I looked around, amazed at the vast amount of people and sights there were to take in. I heard a small laugh come from Levi. “The first half of the day is up to you. I made us dinner reservations though.”

I nodded mutely, still trying to get a grip on my new surroundings. Levi grabbed my wrist and tugged lightly, making me stumble and follow after him. Once he was sure I wouldn’t wander off, he released his grip. I was somewhat disappointed, but it wasn’t as if we were going to hold hands or something.

As we walked, we mostly just took in the sights. It was overwhelming, but Levi would stop to explain certain buildings and areas we went, making me more comfortable. Actually, I had rarely ever heard him talk that much. He seemed to be in a particularly good mood, which was strange, but not unwelcome.

He eventually picked out a few stores for us to stop in, most of them completely out of my budget. I gaped at the price tags of the clothing, not understanding why somehow would pay $50 for a damn t-shirt.

“Pick out whatever you want,” Levi commented offhandedly.

I rolled my eyes at him and laughed. “Right, I’ll just sell my car so I can afford one pair of pants.”

“I doubt your car would get enough for half a pair of pants,” he retorted. Before I could defend my still running, completely functioning car, he started again. “I meant pick out anything and I’ll pay for it.”

I raised my eyebrows at him in disbelief. I knew he was rich, but this was extreme even for him. I was sure he was joking, but one look at him assured me he was dead serious. I couldn’t take advantage of him like that. People would actually start to believe he was my sugar daddy. “Levi, I can’t,” I said back.

“You can, I just said so,” he deadpanned.

“You know what I mean,” I said with a sigh.

He turned to face me, a serious look on his face. “Look, I know you don’t have enough money to buy any of this shit, so why would I take you here? I’ rarely buy things, so at least let me spend my money on someone worth it.”

I could _not_ handle these compliments. It was one thing to put up with my feelings when Levi was being an asshole, but a whole different situation when he was actually being nice to me. I couldn’t find an excuse to that, so I dumbly stared back at him, hoping to god I wasn’t blushing. “Fine, but don’t go overboard,” I said with a faint smile.

I’d been shopping before- mostly when Mikasa dragged me to the mall and made me try things on- but never quite like shopping with Levi. He somehow knew exactly what would look good on me without even trying, blindly picking things off the rack for me to try on. He’d shove me into the changing room, wait for me to come out, then appraise me. I laughed each time, not being able to believe he took something like this so seriously.

I ended up with a few new shirts, two new pairs of jeans, and a pair of dress shoes. I thanked him probably a hundred times. He only shrugged and refused to let me see the price once we checked out. I thought we had to be done after spending nearly two hours sifting through clothing that all started to look the same to me, but he once again grabbed my wrist and led me into another store.

This one was different- fancier than the ones before. I looked around, noticing it was filled with suits and jackets fit for someone much classier than I was. I gave Levi a nervous look, feeling horribly underdressed. “Why are we here?” I asked carefully.

He began to look through the racks, glancing back at me every once and a while. “Do you have a suit that fits you?”

I mentally checked my wardrobe. I did have a suit- I remember wearing it to my interview- but I was pretty sure I got it in my senior year of high school. “Uh, I don’t think so.”

“That’s what I thought. You’ll need one for the signing.”

I shrugged, then came up next to him. “Alright, but can I at least pay for this?”

He chuckled, looking back at me with a smirk. “Sure. But check the prices.”

I nervously picked up the nearest price tag I could find and immediately put it back. Okay, there was no way I could afford anything in this store. Ever. But I couldn’t let Levi pay for yet another expensive thing. Even if we were friends, it just felt like too much. “Seriously, I’m not letting you buy anything else,” I said firmly.

He raised his eyebrows at me. He stalked forward until we were close together, too close for a casual conversation. I sucked in a breath and froze in place as he invaded my personal space, but it wasn’t unwelcome. No, it wasn’t at all. He was grinning smugly at me, like he knew exactly what he could do to me. “And how are you going to stop me, Eren?” he whispered.

I felt a shiver run through my spine at his seductive words. Okay, maybe they weren’t even meant to be seductive but it was _Levi,_ and everything he did had my heart pounding. I unconsciously licked my lips, trying to figure out a response. He followed the movement with his eyes, and for a second, I considered finally ending the tension that had begun to grow between us. It would be so simple to lean in and kiss him. So fucking easy…

“Hello, can I help you gentleman?”

Levi and I both spun around to face the man who was smiling at us cheerfully. I cleared my throat and rubbed the back of my neck. I had really just almost kissed Levi in the middle of a fucking suit store. I couldn’t look at him; afraid my face was lighting up brightly with a blush.

Levi thankfully spoke up for the both of us. “He needs a suit. Price isn’t a concern so don’t listen to him when he tries to bitch about it.”

I expected the man to be shocked, but he only chuckled and nodded. Before I could even protest, the man was taking me to one of the fitting rooms, shoving me in almost as forcefully as Levi. “You just stay put, your boyfriend and I will pick some things out!”

“M-my boyfriend?” I squeaked. “No he’s not, we’re not…” I couldn’t explain myself, too stunned to even respond.

“Don’t worry son, we don’t judge here,” he smiled, then shut the door behind me. I collapsed against the wall, covering my hands with my face. This trip was quickly becoming how to embarrass Eren as much as we possibly can in twenty-four hours. I couldn’t help but laugh once I calmed down. This whole trip had already been completely unreal, and it was only the first day.

Suits of different colors were thrown at me through the door along with dress shirts and ties. I honesty couldn’t tell the difference between most of them, but they definitely fit better than my one at home. I put on a dark green button up, black tie, and a perfectly fitting black suit jacket and finally figured out why Levi had chosen this place. Even I noticed a difference. I grabbed the dress pants that had been thrown at me and put them on, ready to show the men waiting for me.

I walked out awkwardly, letting them look at me. The man helping us nodded with a smile. Levi on the other hand looked thoroughly surprised. I smiled weakly at him, waiting for him to say something, but the clerk interrupted.

“Well, your boyfriend is speechless, so I’d say we found the one!” I definitely blushed this time as I looked at Levi with a horrified expression. But instead of looking upset at the comment, he was only still observing me closely, a faint but detectable smile etched on his face.

“We’ll take it,” he said without looking away. “Everything- the tie, shirt, all of it. “

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him. Our eyes had locked, and neither of us seemed willing to end whatever the fuck was currently going on. The man helping us cleared his throat, which brought me back to reality. Right, I needed to change out of these clothes if we were buying them.

I shuffled back into the room, too anxious to even say anything else to them. My heart was beating erratically, and it was only from a single look from the raven. I only hoped I had a fraction of the same effect on him. I hurriedly changed, handing back all of the clothes that Levi intended to purchase for me. I didn’t even have it in me to argue with him about it.

Afterwards we left, both of us with bags in our hands, yet Levi hadn’t even bought anything. The atmosphere between us had changed. It was obvious that something was going on with us, but neither one acknowledged it. For the first time, I was sure Levi at least sort of wanted me, and _fuck_ that thought went straight to my groin. But still, I didn’t know where to go from here. He had been so perfect to me, so willing to make me happy, and I just didn’t want to mess that up. What if I had been reading the entire situation wrong?

We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring, stopping only to drop of the packages in our hotel room. Levi had assured me that dinner would not be expensive, and with a hell of a lot of protesting, he even agreed to let me pay for my own. I smiled triumphantly, even though he had just spent god knows how much on me earlier.

We both got hungry and decided to stop for a late dinner eventually. I sincerely hoped Levi wasn’t lying and secretly made reservations at home high class place where I would have to spend my entire month’s pay check on. When we arrived, I was pleasantly surprised that it was a rather small, quaint restaurant with seating outside and in. But it didn’t strike me as somewhere Levi would go. It was a bit loud and jammed packed with people everywhere. Well, that was probably all of New York, but still. I walked with him, sending him curious looks along the way.

Levi told me to stay put while he went up and talked to the hostess. I shrugged and agreed, letting him go. I watched as he leaned in and gave the woman his name, a bright smile adorning her face as soon as she heard him. I was seriously starting to think something was up.

He motioned me forward. I forced myself through the crowd, getting a few dirty looks as I did. The hostess kept smiling at me like I had just won the lottery, making me even more confused. I was starting to think that was just my natural state now. Levi was even looking at me with anticipation.

She led us inside the crowded indoor seating area, and I didn’t see one table open. Levi didn’t seem to be worried about it, only holding onto my arm and guiding me through the restaurant. We bypassed the main area, going back to where there was no seating; only a door reading employees only. The hostess stopped and unlocked the doors, holding it open to us.

“Uh Levi?” I asked. “Are you kidnapping me or something?” The hostess giggled, waiting for us to walk through the door.

“Just come on,” he said with a hint of a smile.

I reluctantly walked through the door and was greeted by a staircase. I sighed, figuring if Levi was really trying to kill me or something, it wouldn’t really be a bad way to go. I stepped up on them, following them up to the top. When I reached the door, I looked back questioningly. The hostess, who was following behind us with our menus, nodded enthusiastically. I shrugged, opening the door.

I felt brisk air hit me as I went further out. It was relatively quiet compared to anywhere else we had been- only the sound of traffic and wind could be heard. I was standing on the roof of the building, which had occurred to me it might be where we were going, but I hadn’t expected it to be quite like it was. In the center of the roof, a small table, adorned with a white tablecloth and candles sat; just enough room for the two of us. There were no other tables set up- just the one.

I still hadn’t moved or said anything, too blown away that Levi had gone through all of this just to eat a meal alone with me. It _had_ to mean something. The whole day had been charged with tension, so maybe Levi did feel something for me. The hostess went over to the table and sat the menus down, smiling at us one more time before heading back down the stairs.

Levi stood beside me, and I dare say he looked _nervous._ Levi Ackerman was unsure of something. I realized I still hadn’t said anything, meaning he could think I wasn’t happy with our plans. How wrong he would be. “Levi this…” I started, then shook my head, not finding the right words. Perfect? Exactly how I wanted?

“We can go somewhere else,” he said offhandedly, turning away.

I mindlessly grabbed for his hand, holding onto it tightly with my own. I ignored the sparks that flew threw my arm, afraid I would be rendered speechless again if I didn’t. “No! I meant this is amazing,” I said happily.

He looked relieved, then nodded a few times. “We can sit down, then.”

We both went over to the small table and sat. I couldn’t stop smiling- I was even too happy to be nervous. We had been alone together plenty of times, but it felt different. There was too much planning, too much intimacy for it to be a simple dinner. I felt like Levi might have actually planned this to be a date. Alright, maybe I could still get nervous. I silently picked up the menu, trying to gather myself. It may it may not be a date, but either way, I was determined to have a good time. He went through so much it would be a shame not to.

A waiter came and filled up our glasses with water shortly after and asked for our drink orders. I was going to stick with water, but Levi ordered a bottle of Champaign, and I couldn’t say no to that. He returned with it quickly, filing up two glasses for us and taking our food order. Levi hadn’t exactly lied to me when he said it wasn’t a really fancy place, but the prices were still a bit high. But apparently, he had already put his credit card on hold. After many, many protests from me, I finally gave in and ordered something that sounded good.

While we were waiting for our food, I decided I had to know how he found a place like this, and how he got such special treatment. “So,” I started, “How’d you learn about this place?”

Levi took a drink, sighing lightly as he did. “Erwin took me here for the first time.”

I hummed and looked at him curiously. He never did mention how he met Erwin, and now that I knew his background, I was even more intrigued. Normal people didn’t meet someone like Erwin Smith, let alone people like Levi. “If you don’t mind me asking, how exactly did you and Erwin meet?”

“I don’t mind,” he said quickly. Almost too quickly, making me laugh lightly. He glared at me, but I knew it was only because I caught him being overeager. “Anyway,” he said, clearing his throat, “After…some shit that happened to me, I had no idea what to do with my life. I was completely fucked up; I didn’t have anywhere to be. I had a decent amount of money saved up, but I was…broken. “His eyes glazed over, and for a second, I regretted bringing up such a heavy topic at a time like this. He quickly shook his head, going back to his usual composure.

“I started stealing, mostly because it was the only thing I was good at. I decided that trying to pickpocket Erwin Smith would be a good idea. This was ten years ago, so Erwin wasn’t a big shot CEO yet. He’s perceptive as shit, so he knew right away what I was doing. Instead of calling the police, the big fucker asked me to get lunch with him.” He laughed dryly. I didn’t know Erwin well, but he had a reputation for being firm, but understanding. It sounded like him.

“So he starts to bring me into the crowded as fuck café, and I start to freak out. Back then, and even now, crowds were difficult for me. Crowds mean anything can happen, they’re unpredictable. Erwin noticed; I have no idea how, but he did. Next thing I know he’s taking me away from the café and brought me here on the damn roof. He started talking to me, said he was into the publishing game. I thought he was hitting on me at first. But we kept in touch. I eventually found out that fucking Hanji of all people who I had known in my short time at university worked for him. That made me trust him a little more, enough to tell him about myself. Somehow, he convinced me to start writing.”

I was listening intently, surprised he was so talkative. I could listen to him for hours, especially when it was so personal. “Why do you think he helped you like that?” I asked.

He shrugged, shaking his head. “I still have no idea to this day. But I’m grateful.”

“So am I,” I said without thinking. He quirked an eyebrow, smirking at me.

“Any why is that?”

I turned around, and laughed nervously. If this really was a date, then I needed to stop acting like a blushing virgin and just tell him the truth. I was grateful because it wasn’t for Erwin, I wouldn’t have met him. I would have never been able to be around Levi, and that thought was increasingly painful to think about the more I got to know him. “I just meant…I’m really glad I got to meet you, Levi.” _I can’t imagine not being with you anymore._

He looked surprised, like he was expecting me to come up with a snide remark instead of being genuine. But as I looked at him, the light glow of the fading sun cascading over his pale skin, I knew I had to tell him how much he meant to me. Levi had worked his way into my heart without even trying, and I knew I was too far gone to get him out.

“So am I.”

He whispered it, staring straight into my eyes. My breath left me in a single second. He…he couldn’t just say things like that. The sincerity that laced his breathless voice made me ache. Ache for his words, his touch, his everything. I didn’t want him anymore; I needed him. Needed every part he’d let me have, and in return, I’d give him all of myself.

Our moment was interrupted by our waiter coming up the stairs with our food. I had forgotten that we even ordered. We both looked away sheepishly as if we were caught doing something we weren’t supposed to do. The waiter smiled slyly, like he knew it as well.

We ate together, the conversation far less intimate than it had been before. But that was fine; I enjoyed joking back and for and telling him about pointless things just as much. We fell into our comfortable routine, saying whatever it was that came to mind at the time.

As the sun started to set, I watched the beautiful backdrop that we were privileged to. There were way too many city lights to make out any stars, but it was almost as if the lights themselves were stars. I continued to look at the bustling outline of the city, almost forgetting who I was with. “It’s beautiful,” I said quietly.

“It is.” I turned my head, hoping to get a nice view of Levi staring off lazily into the city lights, but was met with his eyes instead. He…he hadn’t even been looking. He was looking directly at _me._ I quickly looked back to the sky, silently wondering if I was going to make it through this night without kissing the man sitting across from me.

After we (and by “we” I mean Levi) had paid, we got up from the table and decided to head back to the hotel. I was surprised to see that the restaurant was even more crowded than before. I looked over at Levi and knew right away he noticed as well. He was much less relaxed, eyes darting all around the room in search of anything that could be perceived as dangerous. Without even thinking, I tentatively grabbed his hand. He tensed at first, but once he looked down at his hand and realized it was me, he only held tighter.

After we got out, I couldn’t decide whether I was supposed to drop his hand or not. I didn’t want to- the warmth was overwhelming welcome. And from everything that happened, this really did seem like a date. I decided holding his hand for a little longer wouldn’t kill either of us. He didn’t let go as we made our way back to the hotel hand in hand.

Once we were inside the hotel, I reluctantly released his hand. We didn’t talk about it or even bring attention to the fact we had just walked home together with our hands intertwined. We walked in silence to the elevator, waiting for it to reach our floor.

I desperately wanted to ask Levi what he wanted out of tonight. A real date? A friendly dinner? Someone to open up to freely? I had no idea. He wasn’t helping, either. We didn’t speak once we filed into our tiny bedroom, and we hardly even made eye contact. So much for that intimate air around us.

Levi announced he was going to shower, which I nodded to. He was the only person I knew who showered twice a day. I decided on changing into pajamas and calling it a night. It had been an amazing day, whether Levi and I really just did have a date or not, and I wasn’t going to let my negative thoughts get in the way.

I crawled into the bed with only a pair of sweats on, content sigh leaving me as I wrapped the blankets around me. As the minutes passed, my mind refused to let me sleep. Not surprisingly, Levi swam through my thoughts. I kept thinking about the almost kissed we shared, the hand touching, his amazing back muscles.

_Fuck no._

I would not let this happen again. I had already lost sleep over him and almost got caught with a fucking boner sleeping in the same bed with him. But my body had other ideas. The thoughts kept coming, and before I knew it fantasies started to mix with them. Levi, sitting above me with that same look in his eyes in the store. Levi, trailing his lips over my neck. Levi, Levi, Levi.

For the second night in a row, I felt my pants tightening from my thoughts about the man. I was fucked. Completely and utterly fucked. As long as we were sharing a room, I couldn’t find time to release my tension without fear of him hearing. But he _was_ in the shower. His showers took almost twenty minutes on a good day, and it had only been about five since he started. Plenty of time for me to…

Before I could think of all the reasons that I was being an idiot, my hand was at the waistband of my pants, teasing the skin there. But fuck it, I didn’t have time for teasing. I lowered my hand and almost moaned at the initial contact of my hand wrapping around my already hard cock. I fumbled with the blankets, pulling them away from me and grabbing the tissue box that was beside me. I laid on my back, biting my lip to stifle any sounds.

I started slowly, working my hand over myself so I wouldn’t cum too quickly. I was already panting hard, trying my hardest to stay quiet. But every time my hand moved, I imagined it was Levi above me, fisting my cock and watching as I writhed under him. I whined when I brought my thumb over the sensitive head, digging my free hand into the mattress.

“Levi,” I whispered. It intensified everything- just saying his name out loud had me embarrassingly close already. I worked my hand faster, hyper aware that Levi was only feet away from me, naked and wet. Part of me hoped to god he wouldn’t walk in, but another part of me wished he would.

I figured out which part of me was more in control when I heard the bathroom door click open. I frantically pulled up my pants and grabbed the blankets to cover myself. My heart was about to burst both with lust and now with the adrenaline of almost being caught jerking off. Levi walked out, once again without a shirt. It had only been ten minutes! Could he have heard? No, there was no way. This was the universe’s way of punishing me for something.

I kept the blankets wrapped tightly around me. But I was so _damn close_ before he walked in. Now I would be lying in bed with the man of my fantasies with a raging hard on without any means of release and _fuck he sat down on the bed already._

I tried to calm my breathing and forget about my dick. Neither one was accomplished as I squirmed, trying to keep my hips from bucking in search of friction. You would think being almost caught was enough to kill my hard on, but apparently I was also an exhibitionist.

“Eren?” he asked, slight concern in his voice. I couldn’t respond. Hell, it was taking all of my energy to keep myself from moaning at the way my name fell from his lips. I stayed perfectly still, hoping he would somehow think I had already fallen asleep. To my horror, I heard him shift around until light filled the room. He had turned on the bedside lamp. My heart was beating uncontrollably as my worst fear was realized. I felt a hand on my shoulder, trying to turn me towards him. I wouldn’t budge, instead only staying where I was.

“Are you this uncomfortable sharing a bed with me?” he asked. If it was anyone else, I would have thought I picked up a little disappointment in his tone.

“N-no,” I stuttered. I had to make sure he knew he wasn’t doing anything wrong, it was my fucked up hormones. “I just have trouble sleeping anywhere but my bed,” I lied, amazed that I could even get a sentence out.

There was a pause, then a long sigh from Levi. “Hey, look at me.”

I knew I was screwed this time. When Levi asked me to do something, I knew I had no choice but to listen. Pooling the sheets around me so nothing but my head was visible, I reluctantly turned towards him. His eyes were tired, but still intense as he observed me. My face was probably flushed and my hair probably sweaty, but I couldn’t just ignore him. His jaw set once he got a good look at me.

“What’s wrong with you?” he asked

“Nothing!” I said too loudly. “Dammit, just go to sleep, will you?” I retorted defensively. If only he would just ignore me and let me get the hell out of his bed. Now that I could see him so close, it was only making my cock throb with want. Those teasing muscles were right in my grasp- all I would have to do is lean forward and latch my mouth onto one of his prominent collar bone.

His jaw relaxed as he continued to observe me, eyes going over every inch of me. His emotionless expression suddenly turned into a frown. Oh god, did he know? “You look hot, Eren,” he whispered, leaning even closer to me.

“I-I’m fine,” I said indignantly.

He raised an eyebrow, shifting so he was right in front of me. I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest with how fast it was going. My fingers burned with the need to touch his skin, feel every inch of him under my hands.

“You don’t look fine,” he murmured. Why was he choosing now of all times to be so concerned? “You wouldn’t rather take the blanket off?” he had dropped his tone dangerously low; enough to make goosebumps arise on my skin. I couldn’t speak. “No answer?” he asked, letting his hands glide over the fabric of the blanket. His eyes locked with mine, a burning intensity there that made me weak all over. “Then I’ll decide for you.”

He ripped off the blanket in one pull, exposing my clothed, yet obvious arousal in my pants. His eyes immediately locked onto it, smirking as he did. I covered my face with my hands, content to die now. I was completely and utterly mortified. Levi knew I was hard, and maybe even knew it was because of his shirtless form.

“You know, I was going to tell you something at the restaurant, Eren,” he said, breath dangerously close to my mouth. I took my hands away from my face, shocked when I saw his cobalt eyes directly above mine. He had straddled me without me even realizing it, pinning me in with his hands on either side of my head. I let out a choked noise as he leaned down even farther, only centimeters away from my face. “But I got scared. Scared that you would reject what I had to say. But I don’t think you will anymore.”

He raked his eyes up and down my bare chest, licking his lips as he did so. “Christ, you’re even better than I imagined.”  I was frozen under his gaze even as he slid his hands over my abs, trailing upwards. “Can I make you feel good?”

I didn’t understand. My brain was being deprived of blood because another certain part of me was in more need of it, so I couldn’t connect what was happening. I was about eighty percent sure this was a dream, and the other twenty percent was convinced this was an elaborate joke. Levi seemed to notice, his smirk turning into a soft smile. “I guess I should explain.”

He ran his soft hands over my torso, staring at me with a fondness that I had never seen before. He gently ran his hands up my chest, then my neck, stopping to cup my face. He was being so gentle with me, and it took my breath away quite literally. “I like you, Eren.”

Finally, it clicked. _Levi wanted me too._ He didn’t kiss me that morning because he was delirious, he actually liked me. The man that was beautiful and weird and everything I had ever wanted returned my affections, just like I thought he never would.  I felt like crying and pulling him down for a kiss all at the same time, but my body wasn’t moving. I could only nod, then watch as Levi leaned down slowly, grey eyes blown wide with lust, finally closing the gap between us.

The kiss was soft and sweet, completely different than the lust filled aroma of the room. I closed my eyes, wholly overwhelmed with how amazing a simple kiss could be. His lips were soft as they moved against mine, pushing with the smallest amount of pressure, trying to get me to respond. I finally did, kissing him back with as much fervor as I could manage. My whole body felt like it was on fire as our lips moved against one another. It wasn’t perfect; I still didn’t really know what I was doing and had wanted this for much too long to have much of a technique, but it didn’t matter.

He pulled away first. I was a panting mess beneath him, and only from one single kiss. I looked up at him and saw he was just as bad. That kiss was not just out of lust, and we both knew it. Something was different, something neither of us had ever experienced before. And whatever it was, it was bliss.

Levi lunged forward again, capturing my lips in another, more heated kiss. It was a bruising, passion filled kiss that had me bucking up against him, desperate to feel some sort of friction. I wrapped my arms around him, moaning as I felt his tongue run along my lower lip. I ran my fingers over the soft fuzz of his undercut as I opened my mouth, granting him access. I had wanted this for so, so long, but none of my fantasies came close. I whimpered as I felt his tongue enter my mouth, lacing with my own, hot appendage. Neither of us cared about who dominated the kiss; we were too busy finally being able to taste one another. We only broke the kiss when we both needed to breath, gasping as we did.

I wanted more, _needed_ more of him. Gathering confidence, I didn’t have before, I trailed my hand down my body until I reached the loose waistband of my pants. If he wanted to do this, then I would at least give him a little show. The hungry look in his eyes only spurred me on as I pulled them down, letting my fully hard cock be exposed for him. I had actually forgotten that I chose not to put on underwear, but the groan that Levi gave me made me glad I didn’t. I was already dripping pre-cum I was so turned on from him. He helped me slip my pants completely off before he grabbed my legs, spreading them apart so I was completely exposed.

“Do you know what I was doing before you walked in here?” I asked in a voice that sounded nothing like my own. He shook his head, watching as ran my hands down my chest.

“What?” he asked breathlessly. I blushed at his words, but was still determined to get him so worked up he would understand how much I wanted him. I gave him a devilish grin as I ran my fingers closer and closer to my cock, teasing both Levi and myself. He was frozen above me, watching my every move with a predatory look.

Finally, I wrapped my hands around my cock, arching my back at the contact. With Levi watching me, everything was intensified. I gave myself a few slow strokes, my mouth falling open and releasing small noises of pleasure. “F-fuck, Levi,” I moaned out.

“Keep going,” he demanded. His voice was ragged and breathless, causing me to speed up my hand.

I stroked myself from base to tip, sliding my thumb over the head each time. The pleasure was rushing through me, heating up my body everywhere. I locked eyes with Levi just as I dipped my thumb into the slit, a wave of intense euphoria washing over me. I moaned shamelessly, never once letting my eyes leave his. I kept fucking my hand, the lewd noises from the slick of my pre-cum only spurring me on. But I still wanted more. I wanted his hand wrapped around me, working me the way I know he can.

 “ _Nnnngg,_ Levi,” I whined. “N-need you.”

That was all it took for him to take over. He slapped my hand away, grabbing onto my leaking cock and giving me an agonizingly slow stroke. I arched into him, crying out as he rubbed his thumb around the head, gathering pre-cum as did. He leaned down, never stopping his ministrations, until his breath was right next to me ear.

“You make the sexiest noises,” he said, jerking me off even faster. I could only moan in response, my body completely under his care. I could feel the fire building up in my abdomen, a wave of pleasure almost ready to roll over me.  “I can’t wait to see what you sound like when I’m fucking you.”

He punctuated his statement by a twist of his wrist over my cock, amazing ecstasy rushing through me. I knew I was close, but I didn’t want this to end. Didn’t want Levi’s warm hand to stop stroking me, didn’t want his breath to stop hitting my ear. His hand was flying over my pulsing cock, desperate to make me cum. I was a moaning mess underneath him, unable to contain the noises spilling out of my throat. With one last dip of his thumb and a final tug of my cock, I knew I was done for. “Cumming! L-Levi, god, shit-!” I arched my back impossibly, moaning his name repeatedly as ribbons of cum shot out of my cock, painting my stomach and his hand white. I was shaking as he continually worked me through my mind blowing orgasm, only stopping when I was too sensitive to continue.

The room was silent, save our panting breaths. Levi had started trailing soft kisses down my face and neck, until he reached my chest. I was so, so tired, but completely satisfied. I lazily ran my hands through his damp hair, watching as he smiled down at me. Not a smirk or a half smile; a genuine smile. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

“I’m glad I got to kiss you while I was awake,” I mumbled, goofy smile on my face. He immediately gave me an expression that reminded me of a dear caught in headlights as he realized his mistake in kissing me that day. I couldn’t help but laugh at his expression.

“You _shit,”_ he said, voice filled with disbelief.

I laughed, smiling brightly at him. “I didn’t exactly know how to respond.”

He glared at me, but the intensity was lessened because of the amazing feeling I had in my chest. No matter how stupid I had been that day, it had worked out. Levi…Levi was _something_ to me now. “I don’t know, maybe kissing me back you ungrateful brat,” he huffed.

“Ah, but we wouldn’t be here now, would we?” I asked.

He rolled his eyes at me, smile returning to his face. “Guess not.” His voice was uncharacteristically gentle as he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine so softly it made my heart ache in my chest. The message was clear; this wasn’t just lust or infatuation. It was something more, something more beautiful than that. As amazingly stupid as that sounds to say, it was true.

He pulled away, even with the whine of protest I produced. “As much as I would like to continue this, I’m about to pass out from exhaustion.” I smiled in understanding, letting him get up from the bed. He walked back into the bathroom (for the _third_ time that night) and came out soon after. He walked back over to the bed and cleaned my stomach with a warm washcloth, making me swell with gratitude. Shit, I hadn’t expected him to be… _sweet._

After he had finished, he set the washcloth back in the bathroom and climbed back into bed. This time, he didn’t hesitate getting close to me. He rolled me over until I was laying on my side, then pressed up against me. Feeling his naked torso on my back was electrifying, and if I wasn’t so tired, I might have gotten hard again. His arm wrapped around my waist and he nuzzled up against the back of my neck. This- this is where I had wanted to be for the last two months.

“Levi?” I said quietly.

“Hm?” he hummed, sending vibrations down my spine.

“So that day you got drunk and refused to tell me what was wrong…was that because of me?”

“Shut the hell up, Eren.”

With one final, lazy laugh from me, we drifted off into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it happened! Finally, right?


	11. The Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren gets an insight into Levi's past when he gets to read his book. Also smut.

It was the second time I had woken up with Levi, but this time was infinitely better. Sometime during the night, we had shifted so he was laying on his back, and I on his chest. To my surprise, I woke up before him, a little past noon. I would have never guessed Levi would sleep in that long, but from the peaceful look on his sleeping face, it was exactly what he needed.

I couldn’t get enough of him. I wrapped my arm securely around his torso, burying my face into the crook of his neck. I listened to the even beating of his heart for more time than I care to admit, the rhythmic sound soothing to me.

I didn’t know what we we’re now, or what we were going to be, but if it meant I could keep waking up to this, then I was okay with that.

The thoughts of last night flooded my mind. Levi above me, whispering hotly into my ear, the perfect way he used his hands; it all came crashing back down on me as I stayed pressed against his chest. I hadn’t even made an attempt to give him the same pleasure I was feeling because he had me so wrecked. I glanced down, taking in every curve and dip of his muscled torso, noticing he still had his cotton pajama pants on. Maybe I could help him wake up.

I smiled mischievously, moving away from his warmth. I was still very much naked, and the cool air against my skin made me shiver. I positioned myself in between Levi’s legs, careful not to rouse him from his sleep. I hesitated only for a second, worried Levi wouldn’t want this, but he made it pretty clear from last night that he was just fine with sexual activity between us.

I gripped the waistband of his pajamas, tugging them down carefully. I held my breath, still waiting for him to awaken, but he hadn’t. Unlike me, Levi had actually worn underwear to bed. I stared at the black boxer briefs hugging him to perfection, lust and want rushing through me with fervent passion. Slowly, I brought my hand to the front, massaging the obviously well-endowed member still hidden by the fabric.

I flicked my eyes up to his face. His mouth was parted, breathing harshly as I continued to massage him through the clothing. His eyes were closed tightly, almost if he was in pain, but I knew it was only pleasure he was feeling. I wondered if he was dreaming from my ministrations, and if he was, if it was about me. The thought spurred me on, palming him roughly. I could feel him hardening in my hand, and holy shit it was a turn on.

Levi was always beautiful. But this was a side of him I had never seen. His face was flushed, hair askew, and his lips were parted, panting harshly. I still wanted to see more. But I figured he would want to be awake for that. I continued to massage him through his underwear, leaning forward.

As much as I was enjoying seeing him, I wanted him awake. I wanted to see his grey eyes blown with lust like they were last night; only this time, I wanted him to be the one in ecstasy. He was fully hard now, and I wanted him to have an even better experience than I did.

“Levi,” I whispered into his ear. His harsh breaths were music to my ears as they fanned over my face. “Levi, wake up,” I said, dropping my tone.

He blinked a few times, then made eye contact with me. “Eren?” he said, voice still rough from sleep. His eyes shot open, trying to figure out what was happening. I gave him a grin, gripping him, sending another wave of pleasure through him. He shuddered, gripping my arm tightly. His eyes locked on mine, as he grit his teeth and groaned. “Shit, are…are you jacking me off?”

“Not yet, but now that you’re awake,” I mumbled, gripping the waistband of his last remaining piece of clothing and pulling them down.

I made a choked sound in the back of my throat. _Finally,_ I could see every part of him. Finally, the most intimate of places was revealed, and begging for my touch. Without hesitation, I grabbed the base of his throbbing member, giving one, slow stroke. He was hot in my hand as I admired every inch of him. I trailed my hand over the head of his cock, rubbing the pre-cum around for lubrication. I tore my eyes away from the obscene sight in front of my when I heard a low moan come from his. He had his head thrown back, still groggy from just waking up. But it was the single most arousing thing I had ever heard.  I smirked, watching his face as I sped up my hand, loving the way he was completely honest in his reactions.

I hummed in his ear, kissing the skin behind it. I trailed kisses down his neck, sucking softly on the smooth skin there. I wanted to leave a mark, but I didn’t know how he would react to that. I felt his arms wrap around my torso as he leaned his head back, giving me better access. I greedily lapped and nibbled at his sensitive neck, quickly stroking him as I did. He wasn’t nearly as vocal as I was, but the small sighs and moans he would occasionally let slip were all I needed. “This alright?”

After one last suck, I raised my head, looking back at Levi. “Jesus, of course it is.”

He was in worse condition than before, cheeks now fully flushed and eyes dark with want. Now, I could do what I really intended to do. Slinking down his chest and removing my hand from his dripping cock, I made my way back towards his legs. I raised them up, giving me enough room to work. He watched me with curious eyes, but didn’t protest when I leaned down, face now only inches from his dick.

“Can…can I taste you?” I whispered, still a bit unsure about how much he was comfortable with.

He growled and nodded. “Taste me, touch me, fuck me- I don’t care at this point.”

I grinned, immensely pleased at how needy he sounded. It was nice to know I wasn’t the only one reduced to a panting mess when we did theses sort of activities. I sucked at his muscular thighs, determined to mark him _somewhere._ A part of me needed to know this was real, and that Levi was actually letting me do this. I sucked harshly, lapping at the red patch of skin with my tongue to sooth the skin. I was enjoying myself way too much as I continued to avoid his cock, focusing my attention on his milky thighs instead.

“ _Eren,”_ he growled in such a dark tone it had he immediately snapping my head up to look at him. I shivered at the dark tone of the command, nodding quickly and moving upwards. I might have teased him a bit more if he didn’t seem completely wrecked already.

Finally, I was face to face with his impressive length. I slipped my tongue out of my mouth, licking a stripe from the base to the tip of him. I stopped once I reached the head, dipping my tongue into the slit to collect the pre-cum that had formed. He groaned, grasping my hair with one of his hands. The bitter taste was soon forgotten as I lost myself in making him make that noise again. I continued to tease the head, lapping at it with eagerness that surely rivaled the best whore’s. I didn’t take him in my mouth yet, determined to take him to his breaking point until I indulged him.

“Fucking _hell,_ just… come on, Eren!” he yelled in a mix of frustration and arousal.

Satisfied, I grinned at him before taking the base of his cock in one hand. I opened my mouth wide, wrapping my lips around the head of his cock. Blow jobs were never my favorite thing, but feeling Levi’s silky organ in my mouth was fucking amazing. I sucked harshly, hearing a hitch in Levi’s breath I had never heard before. I lavished the sensitive head with sucks and laps of my tongue, watching his every expression as I did.

I slid my mouth farther down his length, careful not to choke myself as I did. I wasn’t new to giving head, but it had been a while since I had done anything like this. Slowly, while stroking the base of his cock with my hand, I took him deeper, swallowing around him every once and a while. His grip in my hair tightened every time I swallowed, the slight tugging encouraging me to keep going.

He had his eyes glued to mine as I hallowed my cheeks and began to bob my head, running my tongue along the shaft. His mouth was parted, breathing heavily and gripping the sheets with a white knuckled hold with the hand that wasn’t in my hair. I could tell he was trying his hardest not to just fuck my mouth, and I appreciated it. I gave a satisfied hum around him, moving my head in time with my hand.

 I would have smirked if I wasn’t busy with trying to get Levi to cum in my mouth. Each time I came to the head of his cock, I made sure to give his most sensitive parts a particularly harsh suck. The obscene noises should not have been turning me on so much, but that mixed with the beautifully fucked out expression on Levi’s face was almost enough to make me cum right there.

The faster I took him, the louder his moans became. It was music to my ears, hearing Levi so open with his feelings for once. It only spurred me on, going deeper than I probably should have, but it was so worth it once he shamelessly called out my name. I moaned around him when I heard it, sending vibrations through his cock.

“If you don’t want to swallow-Fuck!” I cut off his sentence, swirling my tongue over the slit of his cock. I only looked back at him, intent clear in my eyes as I swallowed around him again, tasting the bitter pre-cum already leaking from him. I wanted to really taste him, and I wasn’t afraid to let him know.

With a goal of making him come apart because of me, I started sucking him with fervor. I could feel his cock pulsing in my mouth, and shit that had to be the hottest thing I had ever experienced. I bobbed my head faster. He was close, and I wanted to push him over the edge. With one final flick of my wrist and suck, he groaned loudly, the grip on my hair almost painful. “ _Eren…!”_

I felt the bitter substance fill my mouth, swallowing and continuing to bob my head to milk him for everything he had. I wouldn’t say the taste was pleasant, but watching him look at me as I swallowed made me forget everything but his red face and pleasure filled eyes. After I was sure I had taken everything he could give me, I pulled off of him with a wet pop, licking my lips as I did.

“Morning,” I said, smiling playfully at him.

He gave a breathy chuckle, then extended his hand out to me. I took it and let him pull me on top of him, smiling as he wrapped his arms around me. Well, he wasn’t mad.

“I could get used to being woken like that,” he said, combing his fingers through my hair. I leaned into his touch, humming with approval.

“What happens if you wake up before me?” I asked with a grin.

He gave me that smirk that never ceased to make my heart flutter, then pulled me down until our faces were nearly touching. Breathing over my lips, he whispered, “Then I guess I’ll have to show you just how good it can be to wake up.” Before I could come up with a response, his mouth slotted over mine in a tender kiss. I closed my eyes and pushed back, still not even close to being used to kissing Levi.

“We need to shower,” he stated as soon as the kiss ended. “And brush our teeth.”

“Are you suggesting we shower together?” I asked hopefully.

“If that’s what you want,” he said, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. “Maybe I can take care of that for you,” he said, flicking his eyes to my half-hard erection. I blushed at his words, not realizing he had noticed my predicament. I couldn’t help it; the noises Levi was making when I sucked him off were impossibly erotic.

“I very much want that,” I answered, sitting up and pulling him with me. His hair was not his like the usual, groom perfection I had come to know. It was splayed over his head in the most adorable way possibly, causing me to bite my lower lip to stifle a laugh.

After a very long shower, I finally started to get nervous. The past few hours had caught up to me, and I wasn’t sure what the hell was going on anymore. Levi was still in the bathroom drying his hair while I chose to sit out on the balcony, observing our new surroundings for the first time. I had had such an intense time with Levi I almost forgot where we were. The city was bustling with people, cars, and large buildings. Everywhere you looked there were people. And this was only a small portion I could see from our tiny hotel. The thought was almost overwhelming.

Even though I was in a foreign city with only one person to guide me, it still wasn’t the reason I was nervous. Levi and I had crossed the line between friends (or whatever we were before) into something new, but we hadn’t discussed what our relationship was. Levi didn’t strike me as someone who was often in relationships, and I didn’t have the best track record, either.

But I knew that I wanted something more with him. I wanted to be able to be called him boyfriend, as horribly domestic as it sounds. And I wanted him to call me his. I couldn’t imagine something casual with Levi anymore. Sure, having sex with him was definitely something I desired, but that wasn’t the only thing. I sighed, letting the small breeze coming from outside brush over my face. I probably should have asked him before we were two hand jobs and a blow job into…whatever this was.

I heard the sliding door behind me open, but I didn’t turn around. I wasn’t ready to confront him about my worries, but I didn’t want to be awkward around him either. Not after everything we had been through. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him lean up against the ledge, now dressed in a plain white button up and black dress pants. We didn’t speak for a while; just looked out into the new territory, standing with one another.

“You’re thinking too hard,” he commented, breaking the silence.

I looked over and saw his eyes were trained on me. I guess he had been watching me and noticed my thoughts weren’t exactly pleasant. “Probably,” I admitted with a sigh.

“Do you regret what happened?” He said it quietly and moved his eyes away from me. He looked almost insecure, which was something I had never seen from him before. Could he had been having the same thoughts I was?

“No! That’s not it at all. I don’t regret any of it,” I said clearly.

I swore I saw relief flash over his eyes as he turned towards me. A small smiled quirked on his lips as he spoke to me. “Good. Neither do I.”

I sighed in relief and nodded. It didn’t answer my question, but it did put me at ease. As long as he didn’t hate what happened between us, I could probably deal with it. But the next step would be figuring out what happens _now._ I cleared my throat and shifted my weight, trying to figure out the best way to phrase my concerns. I could just come out and say I wanted to be with him, but it would make this whole trip a lot more awkward if he only wanted a fuck buddy.

“You just had your mouth on my dick, and you can’t say whatever it is you want to say right now?” he asked, an amused smile on his features. He looked so care free and light, like he might actually be enjoying my struggle. I gave a shaky laugh and shrugged.

“Eren,” he said warmly, reaching out and brushing his hand over mine. I immediately felt warmth spread over me, just from that simple touch. I hesitantly looked up at him, surprised at the genuine concern in his grey eyes. “This isn’t going to work if you aren’t honest with me.”

I knew he was right. If I didn’t just tell him what I wanted, then we would never even have a chance. Suddenly, I felt guilty for thinking Levi wouldn’t let me explain. “Okay,” I said, smiling weakly at him. “But you can’t judge me on how sappy this is going to sound.”

He chuckled and nodded in agreement. “Fine.”

I felt him squeeze my hand as I stared off into the afternoon light of the city. “Alright, here we go,” I started, mostly to myself. “I don’t know what you want out of this,” I gestured back and forth between us, “but I do. I want to be with you, and not just fucking. Like, actual relationship type stuff.” I blushed at how horribly worded I was, shaking my head and laughing. “Look, what I’m trying to say is that I need to know how you feel about us, because I don’t think I can go back to the way it was anymore.”

I took a deep breath as I finished, hesitantly looking back at Levi. His hand was still securely over mine, maybe even holding it tighter this time. He was staring at me with a blank expression as he blinked at me, confusion written over his face. My heart sunk. So he had thought of this as just a onetime thing. I clenched my jaw, looking away from him and waiting for the inevitable rejection that was to come.

“Was I not clear last night?” he asked.

I slowly turned towards him, furrowing my brow. “What do you mean?”

“Last night…” he said slowly, obviously having trouble. “I told you I liked you.”

Now it was my turn to stare back at him blankly. “I like you, too,” I blurted back to him.

He arched an eyebrow, studying me. “Then why did you even have to ask if I wanted a relationship?”

I felt the worry starting to recede in me as I took in Levi’s reaction. Levi admitting that he liked me must have been his own way of admitting he wanted to pursue something with me. He was horrible with emotions and expressing himself in general, so maybe even that must have been hard for him. I started to laugh, only a chuckle at first, realizing I was going to have to work on interpreting him better. “Levi, we’re so horrible at this,” I answered, still laughing.

He clicked his tongue and went to move away, but I moved my hand out under his and grabbed his wrist. I tried to stifle my laugh, realizing this couldn’t be easy for someone like Levi. “Sorry, sorry,” I said, bringing him closer to me. He was staring at me with an unimpressed look, but wasn’t moving away from me. I moved us until our chests were almost touching, smiling at him widely.

“So we’re a thing now?” I asked with a grin.

He rolled his eyes and nodded silently at me. “You’re so damn slow.”

I didn’t even care that he insulted me because in that moment, I was overcome with the sort of warmth you can only get from being with someone you truly care about. This short, easily bothered, disagreeable man was my boyfriend (could I call him that? Maybe) and I was irrationally happy about it. Without thinking, I leaned down and pressed my lips against his with the sort of desperation I had been holding back for a month now. It was the first time I had initiated a kiss, and I think he was surprised at my sudden action. But soon enough, he was moving his lips against mine, returning it with the same sort of passion.

We broke the kiss, but stayed close, our foreheads pressed together. I didn’t open my eyes for a while; instead, just feeling his breath against my skin. I felt his thumb brush over my cheekbones, prompting me to open my eyes. My breath caught when I locked eyes with him. He was just so stunning, and now that I got to touch him, kiss him, _be with him,_ there was a feeling in my chest I couldn’t quite explain.

“This won’t be easy,” he said quietly. “I’m fucked up and don’t really know how to do this. I’ll hurt you somehow, and you won’t deserve it.”

I frowned, shaking my head. “Don’t do that.”

“What?”

“Try and mess this up before we even start,” I said with a light smile. “I’m not exactly good at this either.”

He scoffed, smile tugging at his lips. “Maybe we are right for each other.”

I laughed and nodded, just staring at him.

“I need to meet with the bookstore I’m signing at in an hour,” he said.

“I thought the sighing wasn’t for another few days?” I murmured.

He brushed the bangs out of my face, never stepping away to give me more space. The proximity made my heart beat faster and faster in my chest. “It’s not. I have to make sure they know my policies and actually follow them. The last thing I need is a picture of myself on the front page of some fucking magazine.”

I nodded my head slowly. “Can I come? I am sort of your editor right now.”

He rolled his eyes, but not without a small smile. “Unfortunately, no. There’s something you have to do for me.”

“What?” I asked curiously. He stepped away, pulling his hand away from my face. He walked back into the small hotel room, dragging me behind him as he did. I watched with interest as he strode over to my suitcase, leaning down and rifling through it with a frown. My packing skills were a bit lacking since I had never traveled before.

“Uh, can I help you find something?” I asked.

He ignored me, continuing to look at his own pace. I should probably be annoyed that he was doing this without my permission, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. And if he happened to find the lube and condoms and it lead to something else, then I was definitely okay with it.

Finally, he stopped, pausing with something in his hands. I couldn’t make out what it was due to the bag in the way. But when he stood back up with a simple, green covered book, I knew what it was. He walked back over to where I was anxiously waiting, extending his hand out to me with the small book. “You should read this,” he mumbled.

I took it carefully, trying not to make my extreme happiness so known. He was actually going to let me read his book. I had dreamed about this, but never thought it would happen. “Thank you,” I said back quietly, running my hand over the cover.

“I figure you should know what the fuck it’s about before the signing,” he commented, shrugging slightly. But I knew this meant much more to him than that. I smiled graciously, promising myself I would have it read by then.

“Alright. Do you care if I explore a bit while you’re gone?” I asked.

He shook his head, still looking at the book in my hands. He turned around, getting his things ready to leave. “Whatever you like. Just don’t get yourself lost.”

I pouted at him, sure that I was at least competent enough to navigate New York. Okay, maybe that was a bit intimidating, but I would figure it out somehow. “I’m sure you’d find me if I did,” I said quietly, thinking he wouldn’t hear me.

He stopped at the doorway, turning back and looking at me intently. I froze, face heating up because fuck he must have heard me. He sauntered back over to me until he was only inches away, then leaned up and chastely kissed my lips once more. “You’re damn right I would,” he mumbled with a smirk on his features before turning to leave once more.

I tried to think of a response, but it was intelligible, causing Levi to bark out a laugh before he stepped out of the hotel room, locking it behind him. “Fucking authors…” I grumbled to myself.

I ended up going to the restaurant in the hotel for lunch, sitting in the far back table with Levi’s book tucked under my arm. I kept trying to imagine what it could be about, but nothing seemed to fit him. I ate in silence, my mind railing over the piece of literature in my hands.

I called Armin and Mikasa, letting them know I was just fine and about to go exploring. Mikasa had been a little upset that he had “left me to die in New York alone,” but I assured her I was perfectly capable of protecting myself. I had resigned to only go a few blocks away from the hotel, just in case. Armin had immediately asked about Levi. I told him we were fine, but neglected to tell him we had sort of gotten together. I’d drop that bomb once I got home.

When I had finished, I talked to the front desk people about the best places to sit and read. They gave me the names of a few bookstores and some parks, which I jotted down in my phone. As much as I wanted to see the sights, the book burning a hole in my hands had to come first.

When I walked outside, I was assaulted by an array of sounds and sights that were a lot different since I was alone.  People really don’t exaggerate about this city. I was overwhelmed by the massive amount of people and tall buildings at first, but working at Wings of Freedom was really no different of an environment. As I walked down the sidewalks, I smiled to myself, looking at all the stores and shops that lined the city.

Eventually, I stopped when I came upon a small café and bookstore. It looked nice, so I stepped in, giving the girl behind the counter a small smile. I ordered a coffee, then took a table towards the back. Levi didn’t tell me when he would be back and I had already wasted almost an hour wondering around the city, so I figured I should get started reading.

I flipped open the book, warmth spreading through me as I did. I knew what this meant to him, and the fact that he was letting me read it was a feeling I couldn’t describe. And so, I read.

The book had three main characters. Not quite children, but not old enough to be adults. One of them, the older boy, was obviously the leader of the little trio. The other two, a girl and a boy, were quite close as well. The girl even called the older boy “big brother” although they weren’t actually related by blood.

They lived in the slums, with nothing more than a few warn out pairs of clothes to their name. They stole when they had too, but most of the time, just tried to survive. But it was almost if they didn’t mind because they had one another. I kept flipping the pages, not realizing I had already gone through five chapters already.

The leader of the group was by far my favorite character, even though he was more of a side character. He was smart, quiet, and would do anything for his two friends. A small thought it the back of my mind told me I knew who this character was already, but I shook off the thought.

Eventually, the romance of the story showed itself- the girl and the younger boy had fallen in love, despite their terrible circumstances. They were completely smitten with one another, so much so I was even smiling throughout their chapters. It mainly focused on those two and their life, but would switch to the leader every once and a while. But I was naïve to assume Levi would write something so happy.

The trio generally tried to stay out of organized crime, sticking to small things they could accomplish on their own. But one day, the leader of the group was approached by a gang leader. They had heard about his abilities, and wanted him. Offering him a life for his two friends and a large amount of money, it was too good to resist. The leader hesitantly took the deal, ultimately sealing his and his friends fate.

It started out simple tasks- breaking and entering, stealing, those sort of things. But it didn’t last long. The leader was commissioned for worse crimes, some even involving torturing others. But he was assured that the rest of his family wouldn’t be harmed and would be taken care of financially, so he continued.

The first time he was asked to kill someone, I felt my heart racing. I had been reading for nearly four hours, yet I wasn’t tired at all. I rubbed my eyes, knowing I would have to keep reading until the book ended. The leader was conflicted. He didn’t want to kill anyone, but the target was by no means a good person. After a few days in the book, he decided to do it.

He changed after that. Although he still cared about his two friends (who were now engaged), it was clear he was different. He didn’t flinch at violence any more and more or less did whatever the gang leader asked of him. Until his friends became involved. Somehow, they had been wrapped into the gang’s hold, being asked to do jobs for them.

It was as if the leader finally realized what he had been doing all of this time and snapped. He told his friends to refuse, to get as far away from the city as they could. It took some convincing, but they did listen eventually. They agreed to leave town that night.

He informed them that he was done with them, that he couldn’t keep doing their dirty work. Since he had done nothing wrong and swore to never tell anyone about the whole ordeal, it seemed as if he had gotten off easily enough.

When he returned to his apartment that night, he had a feeling something had gone horribly wrong. He tried calling his two friends, but they wouldn’t answer. He panicked, getting into his car and driving as fast as he could to their shared home. They should have already been gone- it had been nearly five hours.  When he got there, the door was wide open.

My own heart dropped. I knew what was coming, but I almost didn’t want to face it. I hesitantly turned the page, eyes darting over the words.

They were dead. Both of them, shot. It was obvious by who. The leader was devastated. The only two people he cared about were gone. He tried to help them, but it was too late. They had taken everything from him now, and there wasn’t anything he could do about it.

The book ended with the leader of the group leaving the city, never to return again. Whether he ever got revenge for their deaths was a mystery, but I liked to think he did.

I set the book down, a series of different emotions running through me. I had never had such a reaction from reading something before. This book, it was so personal, so detailed, I knew it was taken from Levi’s life. It explained a lot about him. Why he never got attached to others, why he liked things being clean, why this meant so much to him. I ran my hands through my hair, trying to find the words I would say to him. Would he expect me to realize that this was about his life? What if I was completely wrong?

I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I took it out and answered, figuring it would be Mikasa. “Hello?” my voice came out strained, probably from the assault of emotion that book put me through.

“Eren?” It was Levi’s voice. I straightened up in my seat and cleared my throat.

“H-hey Levi! I thought you were someone else. How’d the meeting go?”

He paused for a few moments, then answered. “Fine. Are you alright?”

I shifted in my seat. “Yeah, I’m just a little tired out. Are you at the hotel?”

“Yeah, where the hell are you? I got back an hour ago,” he sounded concerned, and it unintentionally made me smile.

“Sorry, I got caught up in a bookstore. I’m coming back now. I…well I’ll just tell you when I get back,” I mumbled, deciding the conversation about his book would be better done in private.

“Whatever, just get back safe,” he said firmly. I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. I heard a click, signaling he had hung up.  I felt a spark of nervousness start in my chest. I didn’t want to say the wrong thing to him, after all. I packed away my things and started to get up, leaving a generous tip since I had spent so much time there.

The walk back was nice; the weather was pretty much perfect, and the crowds had thinned out since the morning. I got back to the hotel, slipping through the doors and heading towards the elevator. It wasn’t long before I was standing outside our room, fumbling with the key. I eventually opened the door, walking in.

I barely got the door shut before Levi was on me, kissing me like he hadn’t seen me in months. I made a surprised noise, my back hitting the door as he fervently kissed me, gripping my hips as he did so. I melted under his touch, closing my eyes and moving my lips along with his, fully appreciating the fact that we could do this whenever we wanted now.

He was the first to pull away, hovering over my lips. “I guess I missed you,” he said nonchalantly. I chuckled, wrapping my arms around his waist.

“I guess you did. But that’s okay, I missed you too.”

He scoffed before placing his lips over mine one last time, this one soft and sweet. It was over entirely too quickly. I sighed contently, straightening up and backing away from the door. Suddenly, talking to Levi about his book wasn’t so daunting. I just couldn’t get myself to believe that Levi wants me in his life as much as I want him in mine. But from everything he’s shown me so far, it’s clear that he really does.

“So what did you do today?” he asked, stepping out of the small hallway, grabbing my hand in his and pulling me with him. I happily following, sitting down on the bed when he tugged my down with him.

“Exploring mostly,” I said with a shrug. I cleared my throat, looking up at his grey eyes. “I did what you asked me,” I said with a gentle smile.

His eyes widened fractionally. “You read all of it today?” he asked.

I rubbed the back of my neck and laughed. “I couldn’t put it down,” I said honestly.

He kept my hand firmly in his own, tracing small patterns on it as we sat in the small bed. He turned away, an expression I couldn’t read on his face. “I suppose it is suspenseful,” he said distantly.

I was torn. I wanted to tell him it was the best thing I had ever read, but given my assumption that it was actually about his life, it didn’t seem appropriate. I simply squeezed his hand, scooting closer to him on the bed. “Do you want to know what I thought about it?” I asked him.

He let out a shaky breath, but nodded. “Your opinion is the only one I care about,” he answered.

My breath caught in my throat. I never realized what I meant to him. That statement in itself was enough to make me understand, though. “Well,” I started, wrapping my arm around him. “It was tragic. To lose people you care about is the worst thing that could ever happen. Especially when you think it’s your own fault.”

I stopped, trying to gauge his reaction. I knew that Levi still carried the weight of what happened with him. The way he almost flinched when I said it out loud confirmed my suspicions. “But I never for a second thought anything that happened was the leader’s fault,” I said. Levi stilled, flicking his eyes over to me. I continued.

“Everything he did was for those two. He gave up his own life for theirs. And yeah, he did some bad things. But he obviously wasn’t a bad person. The fact that those two died was so, so horrible, but think of what their lives would have been without the leader. They might not have even made it past their teens. So in my eyes, he’s not in the wrong. Never was.”

I could feel Levi’s heart beating through his chest, faster than I had ever felt it. His eyes were closed tightly, as if he didn’t want me to have to see him like this. I knew that this story was about him, and he knew I knew. I only held him tighter. He was clutching my hand so tightly it almost hurt, but I didn’t care.

“And I think,” I said softly, letting Levi’s head fall onto my shoulder, “if they could see him today, see what he’s done for them, how he’s changed, they’d be proud.”

I wasn’t sure what was going on in Levi’s head, whether he was comforted or if he was aggravated at my attempts to help him. But I knew he wasn’t inching away from me. He only stayed close, tucked away in my shoulder. I stroked his back, knowing anything else I said would be lost to him.

I didn’t like seeing Levi hurt. No one likes seeing people they care about hurt. But I knew this needed to happen. If we were ever going to have a chance of working out, Levi had to share everything with me, and in return, I would have to do the same. I felt us getting closer, even though we had only been together since this morning. I think we both knew that we had been harboring feelings for much longer, though.

“Their real names were Isabel and Farlan,” he said suddenly. I stayed frozen, letting him speak. “You remind me a bit of Isabel, actually. She’s the one who gave me the idea for my pen name, ‘Humanity’s Strongest.’ She’d watch me fight and tell me there was no one out there who could beat me. I think Farlan was always a little jealous.”

I smiled slightly at his memory. I was glad he could still pick out the good memories he shared with his friends. “They sound like good people.” I commented. I heard his hum in response, then we were quiet again.

“Thank you.”

It was barely a whisper, but I had heard it. It was quiet and strained with raw emotion, but I had heard it. And that was all I needed to know we were okay.

“Anytime, Levi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone giving me amazing feedback! It is really appreciated. Also, I probably wont update for about two weeks this time, I won't have access to a computer.


	12. Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Eren go to the book signing, but a figure from Levi's past haunts him. Smut at the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know where this angst is coming from but I swear this is the last chapter with it. I hope the end makes up for it- check the tags!

“Come on, Levi.”

“No.”

“Seriously, we have to be ready in a half hour.”

He groaned, shifting over in the bed so he was facing away from me. This had been going on for a few minutes. We had three days to enjoy the city and our newly found relationship until today. Times’s Square was rather underwhelming if I was being honest, but the rest of the city had been amazing. And being able to openly be with Levi was even better. Simple things like holding hands in public was enough to get my heart beating faster. But today was Levi’s signing. Hanji had told me to expect him to not want to go, but I hadn’t thought he wouldn’t even get out of bed.

I smiled and scooted closer to him until my naked torso was pressed to his just as naked back. Over the past few days we had been quite acquainted with one another’s bodies. We hadn’t had sex yet, but that could wait. We had plenty of time, after all.

I brought my face closer to his neck, placing light kisses on him. I wrapped my arm around his body, pulling him flush against me. When I felt him sigh in content, I grinned triumphantly. “Please, Levi?” I asked seductively.

“You are _such_ a tease,” he growled out.

I hummed in agreement, running my hand over his firm chest while continuing to suck and lap at his neck. “If you go to the signing, we can spend the rest of the day in bed,” I offered with a smirk.

“We would do that anyway,” he said back with a frown. I opened my mouth to protest, but he wasn’t really wrong.

“I know this is hard for you,” I said more seriously. “But I’ll be there and, knowing me, I’ll do something stupid and completely take the attention away from you.”

He cracked the tiniest of smiles, turning his head so he was facing me. Before, I observed he hardly ever smiled, and when he did, it was barely noticeable. The past few days had made Levi so much more open with me. He smiled more and started to act completely at ease. “That wouldn’t surprise me,” he said, lazily combing his fingers through my hair.

I leaned into the touch. Of course the sexual part of our relationship (I had become comfortable calling it that) was amazing, but it was this I really enjoyed. The simple touches, half smiles, and raw emotion that came with being together. If there was any question before, it was settled now.

I was falling for Levi.

When I was around him, I forgot everything else. I forgot that I still had a job I didn’t want and a tiny apartment. It didn’t matter anymore, because being with Levi was all I needed to make me happy. Even with his downright annoying cleaning habits and off color jokes; he was perfect. It scared me, to be honest. I had never felt this way about anyone, not even Jean.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked me.

I smiled, shaking my head. “You, mostly.”

He rolled his eyes, but the smile on his face grew. He leaned in and pressed a delicate kiss to my lips, despite the fact we hadn’t even brushed our teeth yet. Levi might not be the best at expressing himself, but his actions told me all I needed to know. Reluctantly I pulled away, wishing we had more time to lay together. He finally got the message and began to get up from the bed. He threw the covers off himself, affectively hitting me in the face with them. I laughed, shrugging them off and watching his glorious back muscles move as he slipped on a pair of sweat pants that were sitting by the bed.

Somehow, we both managed to get ready with ten minutes left to get to the bookstore. Levi was dressed as he normally was with a form fitting white button up and a slim black tie. I wore the suit he bought me, which fit to perfection. He shuffled me out the door, grumbling the entire way down to the main lobby.

“What if someone tries to touch me?” he asked seriously while we were walking down the street, searching for the store. “Or you?” he added.

“Then I’ll deal with it,” I replied, trying not to laugh. “There’s going to be security anyway,” I assured him. It was strange being the one reassuring him for once, but I also felt a swell of pride thinking I could protect him just as well as he could me.

He sighed loudly and nodded. “This is only for an hour, right?”

“Only an hour,” I confirmed.

When we got to the store, Levi lead me around back. Apparently he worked it out with the owner that he would be entering and leaving through the back door to cause less of a disturbance. We went around and knocked, only waiting a few seconds before an excited looking middle aged woman opened the door. Her brown hair was fixed on top of her head in a bun and her eyes were framed by large glasses, reminding me a bit too much of Hanji.

“Come in, come in!” she said kindly. “I’m so glad you could make it, Levi. And you must be his editor,” she said, looking over at me.

I raised a brow at Levi as we walked into the back of the bookstore. He had given her his real name? That was interesting. “Well, sort of. I’m Eren,” I said, extending my hand. She smiled and shook my hand.

“Kathleen, owner of the store.” She then turned back to Levi. “Alright, I’ve got security around the table you’ll be signing at and at the entrance. The fans are already waiting, but take your time.”

Levi only nodded, then looked around the room. We were in the storage room, away from the eyes of his fans. Kathleen was waiting in front of us, but didn’t seem bothered by Levi’s attitude. I decided I liked her. “Uh, could we maybe get a few minutes to talk about some things?” I asked politely.

She nodded and smiled brightly. “Of course! I’ll come get you when we’re ready to start.” She walked off through one of the doors, giving me the first glimpse of the line outside. I hadn’t really known what to expect, but the crowd was larger than what I had imagined.

I gave my attention back to Levi, who was now running his hands through his hair and grumbling to himself. I stifled a laugh, stepping over and grabbing his hand. He flicked his eyes towards me, annoyance easily readable on his features. I assumed it was only because of his situation, not because of me. Surprisingly, he was first to speak.

“Will you sit with me?” he asked, almost nervously. I could tell he wasn’t used to being vulnerable, but it didn’t bother me in the slightest.

“Definitely,” I said. “I’ll even sign for you if you like,” I joked. That was the wrong time to make a joke, because his eyes lit up with interest.

“No- stop there, that was a joke,” I said firmly. He frowned, as if he had actually been considering the idea.

He pouted, then continued to pace around the room. I had never seen him nervous before, and even though I was concerned about him, it was endearingly cute. There were so many different sides to him that I hadn’t seen before and I was amazed at each and every one.

“Are you about ready?” The woman from before said, poking her head through the door.

I shot Levi a look, realizing he would never really be ready for this, but he gave me a grave nod. I smiled back at her. “Yes, should we come out now?”

She nodded excitedly, obviously happy that her small store would have such a famous author do a signing. Maybe that’s what Hanji had picked it in the first place. I highly doubt this event was even publicized if Levi had anything to do with it. I walked over to Levi, placing my hand on his lower back to guide him through the door. Surprisingly, he didn’t comment on it. Kathleen gave us a curious look, but also didn’t comment. She held the door open for us, letting us see the set up for the first time.

The table for sighing was right in the center of the store with security standing on each side. They were large, menacing looking men who gave me a curt nod when I made eye contact. A stack of books was piled on either side of the table, assuming for anyone to buy if they didn’t bring their own copy. I glanced around, noticing it had to definitely of been hand-picked by Hanji for Levi. Everything was spotless- I couldn’t see a trace of dust anywhere. The books were neatly stacked on the shelves, alphabetized perfectly from what I could tell. The crowd of people waiting outside of the glass doors pointed and waved excitedly when they saw Levi and I emerge, probably trying to figure out which one of us was the author.

“This is _hell,”_ Levi mumbled as we walked over to the table. I chuckled softly, keeping my hand securely on his back.

“Okay!” Kathleen said, clapping her hands together. “You’ll be sitting here and I’ll let them in. Sound good?”

Before Levi could say no, I assured her that was fine, granting me a glare from him. I smiled and rolled my eyes, guiding him to his seat. He sat down, grumbling the entire time. I pulled out a chair and sat myself snugly beside him, probably too close, but he seemed content with it. I liked that I could provide some sort of comfort to him, at least.

Kathleen went over to the doors, key in hand. I slid my hand under the table and grasped Levi’s hand in mine, ignoring his curious glance. I gave him a shy smile and a shrug. He shook his head and squeezed my hand, making me irrationally happy.

The first wave of fans poured in, all bright smiles and nervous glances. I felt a swell of pride as I watched the people get so excited about Levi. They were fangirling over _my_ Levi. Alright that might sound a little creepy, but I felt good about it nonetheless. He deserved everything and more, even if he didn’t want to admit it.

The first person was ushered up. She was probably around my age, maybe a little younger with long auburn hair and a pair of thick glasses. I gave her a reassuring smile when I saw Levi was doing absolutely nothing to calm the scowl that usually adorned his face. At least he was here, right?

“H-Hi,” she said quietly. She looked back and forth between us. Apparently they still didn’t know which one of us was the author. I had to give it to Kathleen- she was easily excited, but discreet.

I kicked Levi under the table, raising my eyebrows at him once he looked at me. He sighed loudly, then looked back at the girl with a somehow less intimidating scowl. I couldn’t help but laugh, trying to hide it between my hand.

“Hi,” he said back in his signature monotone. I laughed harder, completely unprofessionally I might add, but it was too precious.

“What the fuck are you laughing at you little shit?” he asked me sharply. The girl’s eyes widened at his language, her image of H.S obviously not meeting who Levi really was.

“Nothing!” I said in between laughs. “Just sign her book.” The poor girl was watching our exchange helplessly, clearly confused.

“Right,” he mumbled, picking up a pen. “Name?” he asked, flicking his eyes to her.

“R-Rachel,” she murmured. He grunted, then quickly scribbled his pen name inside the book she had handed him with shaking hands. I bit my lower lip to keep from laughing once again. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as I thought.

“Here,” he said, handing the book over.

“Thank you!” she said brightly. Apparently his demeanor didn’t lessen her affection for him. She scampered off, leaving us with the next fan.

I kept my hold on Levi’s hand the whole time while he signed book after book. He did manage to lighten up a bit, even smiling at a small child who was with his mother. I gawked at him afterwards, but he only shrugged and said he liked kids. The more I found out about him, the more utterly adorable he became. It’s not like I’d ever tell him that, though.

Some of the fans asked questions which he usually diverted to me, but he would answer occasionally. One woman asked if his girlfriend liked his book, giving a glaring obviously attempt at flirting when she leaned on the table and pushed out her chest. I laughed again, this time even harder, and Levi even joined in. When she started to get angry, he simply held up our interlocked hands to her, answering, “No, but my boyfriend does.” I blushed brightly, much to his amusement. We had never discussed what exactly our relationship was, and the term “boyfriend” had my heart pounding in my chest. She laughed, obviously embarrassed, then thanked us both.

It went well for the first forty-five minutes. Everyone was respectful to Levi’s wishes of no photography and were generally just happy they got to meet him. I would never say it to him out loud, but it almost seemed as if he was enjoying himself at one point.

Towards the end of the hour, we were both getting restless and ready to leave. I was amazed that the entire signing had gone so well with barely any incidents. Of course, everything couldn’t stay so smooth. Suddenly, I felt Levi’s whole body tense and his grip on my hand tightened to where it was painful. I looked over at his face, my heart dropping when I saw the almost fearful expression. I quickly flicked to the crowed, trying to identify the source of his unease. I didn’t immediately spot anything too unordinary, but Levi’s eyes were locked on a tall man wearing a long brown coat. His features were sharp, calculating almost, and his mouth twisted into a smile that made my blood run cold. He had long dark hair, messily lying on his shoulders as he eyed Levi with a look I couldn’t identify. He was next in line, but I hadn’t even noticed him enter the building.

I looked back to the man beside me, completely oblivious to the fan standing in front of him waiting to have his book sighed. “Levi,” I said, leaning in so only he could hear, “what’s wrong?”

“We need to go,” he stated firmly, never taking his eyes off the man.

I didn’t know who this man was, but if he was enough to make Levi want to leave, he wasn’t anything good. I was curious, but not enough to stop and ask right here. I had never seen Levi so worried, and that in in itself was reason to make me panic. “Alright, just sign this last one and we’ll get out of here.”

He finally looked at me, relief flooding his eyes. I gave him a reassuringly smile as he quickly picked his pen back up and hurriedly scribbled his name in the book. I was about to stand up and announce that was his last one when the man walked up to the table and laughed darkly.

“Already trying to run from me, Levi?” he said in a rough voice. “Wouldn’t be the first time.” The two men stared at one another, Levi with a look of pure hatred that made my breath quicken. Who the hell was this man?

“Levi, let’s go,” I said quietly. He either didn’t hear me or was too angry to care.

“How did you find me?” Levi asked through gritted teeth.

The man chuckled again, shaking his head. “Funny story, really. My niece- she loves your book. Couldn’t stop talking about it. Once I started listening to her, the story sounded…familiar. When I heard the author was doing a signing, I couldn’t resist finding out if it was really you. I mean seriously, books? That’s what you chose to do after you left?”

I was frozen, watching the two obviously dangerous men stare each other down. If he knew about Levi’s book, then he must have been involved with his past. And if he was, he was definitely not someone Levi needed to be around. I couldn’t think of anything to do other than make sure the security guards were still there. They were and had caught onto the tense atmosphere, watching the conversation with cautious eyes. I still didn’t feel the least bit safe.

“Why the hell would you want to find me? “he growled.

The man shrugged, as if he was unaware of the rising tension. “Well, you did sort of leave all of us shit out of luck. I mean, an operation can’t survive if most of its members are dead or in prison. Just thought I’d see what you had done with your life now that you’re free. I gotta say, I’m not very impressed.”

There was no doubt- he was definitely involved in Levi’s past gang experience. But did that mean Levi was the one who caused the death of the members? Maybe he did get his revenge for is two friends, and this man was one of the few who survived. I shivered involuntarily. This was serious shit, and we were right in the middle of it.

“Get the fuck out of here, Kenny. We’re done.” His tone was cold and dark and would have had any sane person running as soon as they could. But this man merely smiled, flicking his eyes over Levi’s face.

“I think he asked you to leave,” I interjected, my need to protect Levi getting the better of me. At this point, I didn’t give a shit who this asshole was. All I knew was he had a serious effect on Levi, one that made me want to get him as far away as I could. “And unless you want security to hall your ass out of here, I suggest you do just that.” I smiled back at him, and as much as I wanted to avert my eyes, I held my gaze.

He raised an eyebrow, looking back and Levi. “Hoh, and who’s this?” he asked curiously. “How is it that you find the most loyal dogs, Levi?”

Levi would have stood out of his chair if I hadn’t been holding him so firmly. “Talk about him one more time and you won’t be walking out of here,” Levi snapped, louder than intended. Kenny only laughed.

The crowd was beginning to take notice, craning their necks to see what was happening. I was starting to worry Levi may actually kill him, making eye contact with security and motioning to the man. They understood, walking over on both sides of him and crossing their arms.

“Sir, we’re going to have to ask you to leave,” the one on the right side.

Kenny sighed, frowning at Levi. “That’s a shame. Levi and I here had so much to catch up on. Oh well- at least my curiosity has been sated. Take care, Levi. I don’t expect we’ll see each other again. You’re obviously not worth my time anymore.” The guards escorted him out, Levi’s grip on my hand lessening the farther away he got.

Kathleen had picked up on the situation, and since the hour was almost up, told the rest of the group that there would be no other signings for today. A few people groaned, but I paid no attention. Levi had his eyes shut tightly, one of his hands fisted into his hair. I stood up, tugging him with me. He complied, walking behind me as I went back into the room we had started out in.

Once we were alone, I pulled him against me. I had no idea if this is what he wanted or needed, but I had to do something. He almost immediately wrapped his arms around me, holding me close. I still didn’t even know what exactly just happened in there, but at the moment, I didn’t need to know.

“You’re alright,” I whispered into his hair. “He’s gone, you’re with me now.”

I felt him nod against my chest. Fuck, this had gone so incredibly wrong in such a short time. I felt the need to find whoever this Kenny was and beat the hell out of him for screwing up this for Levi. I continued to hold him tightly, giving him however much time he needed.

“He was part of it,” Levi said against my chest. “He wasn’t directly involved with the deaths, but I fucking know he went along with it.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I ran my hands up and down his back in a way I thought was soothing. I kept holding him, kept kissing his head lightly, hoping that he would realize I was trying to be there.

“I killed some of them,” he whispered, looking up at me. His eyes were filled with pain, pain that I don’t think he had ever let out before. “I-I tried to get most of them arrested, even became a fucking informant for a while, but they were too smart to get caught. So I just...fuck, I couldn’t let them get away with what they did.”

My breath caught in my throat. I knew Levi had killed before. I knew he had done some really horrible shit. And everything he had told me should have had me running. I should have been scared, wanting to run from him. But as I looked into his eyes, eyes that I had grown to love so much, I didn’t run. I knew who Levi was then, but I also knew who he is now. He changed in a way that made him into a better person whether he knew it or not. And when I thought of what I would do in a similar situation, if I knew someone had hut Mikasa or Armin, I knew I wouldn’t do anything different.  “It doesn’t matter anymore, Levi. It’s done.”

Whether it was to hide his emotions from me or just to get closer to me I didn’t know, but as soon as I had said those words, Levi buried his face in my neck, clutching at me desperately. I held him, just as desperately, as I let him work through all of this. His body shook lightly, but I only tightened my hold on him. Nothing was getting in the way of us anymore.

I had Kathleen call a cab because I wasn’t sure if Levi could walk home right now. It took a while until he was ready to walk out and get back in, but we did it eventually. The way back to the hotel was a blur, but I always made sure to keep some sort of contact with him the entire time.

The atmosphere in the room was tense once we got back. I had no idea how to act in a situation like this. Did I mention anything about what happened? Ignore it and try to lighten the mood? I felt like any move I would make would have Levi getting angry at me somehow.

He busied himself with undoing his tie, never looking over in my direction. I couldn’t imagine what sort of memories were flooding his mind right now. Or maybe I could, but they were so horrible I chose not to. Part of me wanted to find Kenny and kill him for even making Levi remember that part of his past. I felt an insatiable need to defend Levi, protect him from anyone who tried to hurt him. I knew I was protective over Armin and Mikasa, but this was even worse. Imagining him hurting was too much, seeing it was unbearable. He was trying to hide from me, trying to act like it didn’t affect him. But I knew it did.

Deciding, I stepped away from the wall, slowly walking over to him. His back was to me while he unbuttoned his shirt. Taking a deep breath, I brought my arms around his narrow waist and held tightly. I needed him to know I was here, that he could depend on me. I dropped my head on his shoulder, simple holding him. He tensed at first, but gradually relaxed until he was pressing back against me. He titled his head and closed his eyes tightly, letting it rest against my chest.

“I thought I never had to see him again,” he said softly through still closed eyes. I could see the pain and regret flashing over his features, but I didn’t speak yet. I didn’t think he was done.

“The only thing that kept me going was the thought that I was done with them, that I would finally be free.”

I gripped him tighter, running my hands over him in what I thought was a soothing manner. “You _are_ free, Levi. You’re right here with me, he can’t do anything about that.”

His eyes shot open and he scoffed, stepping away from my hold. “And what if he decides he isn’t done with me, Eren? What if he finds out about us, about the fact that for the first time since Isabel and Farlan I found some shrivel of happiness and doesn’t want me to have it?” He was standing away from me, a range of emotions flying over his face. I had never seen him so open before, but it wasn’t in the way I wanted. No, he was in so much pain, and I felt like I couldn’t help him.

“He can’t take me away from you, Levi. I’m not going anywhere,” I said desperately.

He ran his hands through his hair and paced, avoiding looking at me. “I don’t think you understand.”

“I do!” I yelled louder than I intended. He stopped walking and shook his head at me. “Look, I know you’re afraid to get close to people because you think you’ll lose them,” I said more softly. “But here’s the thing- that isn’t your choice. You can’t just decide for me. _I_ want to be with you. I understand the risks, and I don’t give a shit because you’re worth it, Levi.”

He shut his eyes, almost if he refused to believe me. I knew it was harsh, but it needed to be said. I hadn’t known him for that long, but I knew Levi was worth everything. I couldn’t let him push me away just because he wanted to keep me safe. He was too important.

He sat down on the bed, cradling his head in his hands. I took a risk and walked over to him, sitting down by him softly. “You’re an idiot,” he mumbled through his hands.

I smiled sadly. “I know. But so are you sometimes.”

He sighed deeply and lifted his head. His grey eyes finally locked onto mine, piercing through me. “How the fuck did you do it?” he asked.

“Do what?” I asked him back.

“Manage to make me care so god damned much about you in two months.” He looked away shyly while I struggled to breath. “I knew it the second I saw you. I should have turned you away, asked for some other brat. But I couldn’t. And then I hoped you would just be some idiotic intern who I would forget as soon as you walked out the door, but you weren’t. Jesus, I can’t believe you even stay with me.”

I had to cut him off there. I brought my hand up to his face and turned his head so he was looking at me. He blinked in surprise before I roughly brought my lips onto his. For once, it was Levi who was showing his emotions with words, so I would show him with actions. We kissed desperately, lacking the lust filled haze we had shared before. This was pure affection, and if it wasn’t so early on, I might even say it was something even deeper.

We pulled away, both panting. Levi had moved one of his hands to my hair and was resting his forehead on mine. “You can’t leave me now,” he whispered over my lips.

“I won’t. You can’t either,” I said back.

As if our bodies moved on their own, I ended up with my back on the bed, Levi laying over me. His hands were everywhere, feeling every inch of me as if he needed to make sure I was really there. I lifted my shaking hands and started to unbutton his shirt, quite unsuccessfully until he helped me. I wasn’t nervous, more like so overwhelmed with feelings for the man above me I couldn’t think straight.

He removed his shirt, immediately dipping his head down and locking our lips once again. I ran my hands over his muscled back, involuntarily whimpering when I felt his tongue prod at my lips. I opened my mouth to him, willing to let him take whatever he wanted from me. We kissed until we struggled to breath. His mouth left mine, leaving me gasping for breath. He didn’t give me time to recover before latching onto my neck, sucking marks I was sure would be there tomorrow. I didn’t care one bit.

I clawed at my own shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine. Once he realized my plight, he swiftly unbuttoned it. He leaned down until our chests were pressed together, a sigh escaping me as he did. His skin was cold and mine hot, the perfect balance between us. He continued down my neck, eventually reaching my bare collar bones. He sucked on them, making me press myself into the mattress, trying not to raise my hips in search of friction. I was already hard, straining in my dress pants. When Levi shifted so our groins pressed together while me mapped out my chest with his mouth, I felt that he was, too. I shamelessly moaned, tossing my head back.

“Levi...” I said breathlessly. He hummed in response, lowering himself so he was biting at my hip bones. I couldn’t take it anymore, bucking my hips in an attempt to get him to pay attention to my throbbing erection. I thought he would tease me about my eagerness, but he seemed just as desperate. In a flurry, my pants and boxers were stripped off of me. He sat up and clumsily unbuckled his belt, removing the last of his clothing as well. I was happy to see I wasn’t the only one having trouble concentrating. Once we were both completely exposed, I raked my eyes up and down his perfect figure, unable to comprehend how I got this lucky.

Lowering himself, he captured my lips once again, softly and heart-achingly sweet. Even in this moment of passion, I could feel his need to convey what I meant to him. I wrapped my arms around him, lacing my fingers through the fuzz of his undercut, moving my lips against his.

We didn’t need words. Somehow, we both knew what this was. We weren’t about to fuck or have sex, it was more. Silently, Levi got up from the bed and rifled through his bag, producing items that made me smirk. At least I wasn’t the only one planning this. He climbed back on the bed, putting the lube and condoms beside me. He looked at me as to ask if I as alright with doing this, and I nodded with a smile. I was more than alright with letting Levi have me in every way he could.

A pop was heard before I felt his slick fingers teasing at my entrance. A gasp left my throat, suddenly hyper sensitive to his touch. He circled around, never entering me fully, only watching my reactions. “Are you ready?” he asked, voice gruff with want, yet still affection.

I nodded feverishly, eager to have him prepare me. He slipped his first finger inside slowly, as if I would break. I couldn’t help but chuckle slightly. “It’s been a while for me, but I won’t break,” I said reassuringly.

Levi slipped his finger inside fully, nodding at me. “I know, I just…I can’t hurt you.” It was mumbled quietly, but I still heard it. At that moment, I didn’t care how needy I was for him, I was willing to let him take his time with me.

Oh so slowly, Levi worked his finger in me, eventually letting another join. I was already so worked up I could barely keep from moving my hips to meet his fingers. As I felt him spread his fingers, stretching me fully, I moaned loudly. He hadn’t even struck my prostate, but it was still so good. He leaned in, kissing down my neck while he opened me, panting almost as much as I was.

When a third finger prodded in, I winced slightly at the dull burn. It really had been a while for me, but I wasn’t worried about the pain. My cock was begging for attention while I not so patiently waited for Levi to deem me ready. I was painfully hard and dripping pre-cum already, and he hadn’t even touched me. Just when I was about to beg him to stop and give me what I wanted, he curled his fingers inside of me, rubbing up against the sensitive bundle of nerves. I gripped the sheets beside me and arched up back, crying out his name loudly. I felt him smirk against my neck, lightly pressing up against the spot again. My head was thrown back in complete ecstasy as he perfectly massaged my prostate with his skilled fingers.

“God… _shit, Levi…!_ ” I needed to tell him I was rapidly reaching my peak with my cock completely untouched, but I couldn’t find the words. Instead, I squirmed under him, grinding down on his fingers as he continued to take me apart. Luckily, he got the message without words, slowly pulling his fingers out and kissing me once more when I whined at the loss.

I laid there catching my breath as I watched Levi open the condom and put it on, covering himself with a generous amount of lube. He took my thighs in his hands and spread them slightly so he could fit right in between my legs. I should have felt embarrassed being completely exposed under him, but I wasn’t. I needed him so badly I couldn’t think of anything else.

“Sure about this?” he asked in a voice that made me realize just how much he was holding back.

“Absolutely,” I replied breathlessly.

He smiled, then wordlessly lined himself up with my hole. He let my legs fall onto his shoulders, then pushed the head of his cock onto my entrance. Once I felt the tip press in, I was gone, lost in a world of pleasure. It probably hurt, but I couldn’t feel anything but pure lust and affection. He continued to push in so damn slowly I thought I was going to have to just impale myself on his dick, but I didn’t want to go against his wishes. Not tonight, anyway.

Finally, _finally,_ he bottomed out, stilling once he was fully inside. I was shaking at this point, the feeling of being filled by him unlike anything else I had gone through before. I felt complete, like I was experiencing what sex was really supposed to be like.

What really got me was the sight above me. Gone was the composed, emotionless man I had come to know. No, Levi was just a mess as I was. His mouth hung open in a silent scream, eyes scrunched closed, and body trembling slightly. A layer of sweat covered his body as well as mine, making the atmosphere that much more lust filled. He was being so fucking patient, waiting for me to give him to go ahead to move.

“Oh god Levi _please_ move,” I said in a higher pitched voice I would care to admit.

He nodded vigorously, slowly pulling out of me and pushing back in. It was slow and sensual, the complete opposite of what I was used to. He kept the same pace, pulling out until only the tip was left in, then thrusting the rest back, until I was mumbling his name over and over like a prayer. Part of me wanting him to go faster, plunge into me and assault my prostate, but the other part of me wanted this sort of sex. I wanted to feel him inching his way out of me more and more, feel my walls tighten around him. Maybe it was just because I was in so deep with him, but he already had me breaking under him.

“E-Eren,” he stuttered, locking eyes with me. He was truly a beautiful sight. Hair plastered to his face with sweat, eyes alight with lust and desire, and sweat glistened muscles flexing with each of his thrusts. I could only moan in response to hearing my name called like that, so filled with want.

Then, he switched his angle. With one thrust, he had my vision blurring white and a shrill cry ripping from my throat. Pleasure shot through my spine as my back arched clear off the bed. I unintentionally clenched around Levi, making him choke out a moan as well. He kept his thrusts shallow, hitting my prostate every time. I was a whimpering, moaning mess under him, but I had long ago lost my sense of shame.

My cock was now bouncing against my own stomach from the steadily increasing force of his thrusts, reminding me it still remained untouched. I had never felt this sort of pleasure without the stimulation of my cock, yet here I was about to cum only from Levi’s ministrations.

Levi abruptly leaned forward enough so he was close to my face and passionately sought out my lips. He kept thrusting, grinding himself into me, making me moan into his mouth. I wrapped my arms around him, suddenly afraid to let him go. It never occurred to me how much I _needed_ him. Even in this lust filled moment, I realized how much I was falling for him.

He broke the kiss, but stayed close to my neck. His thrusts began to become erratic, signaling he was just as close as I was. I felt his harsh breaths on my ear, moaning quietly every once and a while, driving me absolutely insane. He whispered my name, over and over, just as I had. But along with that, he freely let himself out with his completely honest words. _Don’t leave me. Stay with me. I’m yours now._ And even though I could barely get the words out, I answered him each time. _I’m here, I’ll always be, I’m yours._

I couldn’t even breath when I felt one of his hands grip my cock, stroking in time with his thrusts. I gripped his back so hard I was sure there would be marks from my nails, but I would apologize later. I met him for each thrust, wildly seeking release. His hand flew over my cock, rubbing under the head and dipping into the slit as he mindlessly plunged into me.

When he crashed his lips against mine desperately, it was all I could take. I came with a violent scream of his name, muffled by his own lips. Pleasure erupted through my body, making me buck my hips against his still powerful thrusts. He kept stroking me, kept hitting my prostate, even when I was so sensitive I was whimpering and tears began to form at my eyes. It was unbelievably good.

With one last thrust, Levi moaned a strangled version of my name and came. I felt him pulse inside of me as he milked through his orgasm, leaving me wishing he would have forgone the condom and instead filled me up.

Completely and utterly spent, we laid there, panting and cuddling. We were a mess, literally and figuratively, but neither of us cared. Levi reluctantly pulled out of me, making me miss the feeling of him inside of me almost immediately. He disposed of the condom and grabbed a few tissues, wiping down my chest and abdomen while I lazily watched him, a goofy smile on my face the whole time.

He collapsed beside me, wasting no time in pulling my close to him. I nuzzled up against his neck, content to stay there for as long as he would let me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...sex.


	13. Coming home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi's POV- when the pair leaves their vacation, how will others react to their newfound relationship?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight smut at the end but it doesn't end how you would like

Along with all of the bad in my life, I’d seen good. As much as I would deny it, meeting Erwin and Hanji was part of the reason I changed my life. Being around people like them taught me that not everyone in this world is a piece of shit. Even though their friendship to me was probably the best thing that ever happened to me, nothing could compare to this.

Waking up next to Eren, wrapped around one another, after pouring out my fucking heart and soul to him. Our relationship was unbelievably ridiculous; we’d slept together after being together for a week, and knowing each other for only two months. But, it didn’t matter. Maybe it wasn’t the norm or the convention, but neither were we. I had given him every part of me, expecting him to run, yet here he was. And what’s more, he accepted it. Accepted me.

He was still asleep, his breath hitting my collar bone steadily. I had been up for a half hour, but couldn’t find in it me to get up. Instead, I let him sleep on my chest, lazily threading my fingers through his hair like I had grown to love doing. It was utterly sickening how comforting it was for me.

I sighed to myself. We only had a few days left here, then we would be back to our normal lives. Hanji would no doubt find out about us before we even made it off the plane. If they somehow couldn’t get it out of me (which was unlikely, they had a knack for it) it would be forced out of Eren. Honestly, I didn’t care. They had successfully predicted exactly how this trip would go, after all. I didn’t care of Hanji, or Eren’s friends, or the entire fucking world knew I was with him. I had a feeling he was the same way. I smiled, and for the first time, didn’t even care if Eren woke up and saw me.

The last three days of our vacation went much too quickly. Eren insisted on treating me to dinner even though I made a numerous amount of valid arguments against it, but it was his adorable sad pouty face that eventually got me to cave and let him. We did some more sight-seeing, found a few museums that interested both of us, and other horribly cliché tourist bullshit.

Of course, the best part of the last days came when we were both back in our room. After our first emotional night together, Eren and I couldn’t resist falling into bed and showing each other just how much we meant to one another. I had slept with a fair amount of people, both men and women, and none compared to Eren.

Night after night, we entangled with each other, kissing, biting, and fucking to our hearts content. Eren was responsive and sensitive and _loud._ I’d never heard such perfect noises before in my life. I was sure the other guests of the hotel had heard us by now, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. As long as no one else got to see Eren in the state he was when he was in complete ecstasy, let them hear. Let them hear the way he screamed when I took him from behind, or the way he moaned my name when I wrapped my lips around him. Then, they’d know he was always mine, and I was his.

The more we had sex, the more I found myself wanting to give myself over to him. A few times, I came close to letting him just fucking take me. He was usually a submissive little tease, but there were times when he changed that. Times when he’d pick me up and slam my back against the wall, grinding against me like some animal in heat. And I couldn’t help but want to let myself go, let someone else have control over me. But, I was waiting for something. I wasn’t sure what, but I knew I wasn’t ready yet.

Leaving was harder than I expected. Except for the run in with Kenny, it had been perfect. Part of me didn’t want to go back to the real world, but at the same time, I wanted to see how this would work with Eren once we were home. Eren was even less inclined to leave, probably because he enjoyed his job even less than I did. But we both knew things would be different- in a good way- and we’re excited to see just how much so.

We got back Sunday night, and I insisted he stayed the night at my apartment. He didn’t protest, even welcomed the idea. It wasn’t the first or even second time, but it was the first time we would be sharing the bed. I took a shower immediately, declining Eren’s offer to share one with me because I felt dirty as fuck and just needed to get clean. He understood fully. My chest tightened when he kissed me softly, then slinked off into my bedroom.

After my shower, I decided to only wear my underwear to bed, seeing as there wasn’t any need to be modest around him. When I walked back into my bedroom, I smirked, filled with pride at the sight. Eren was wrapped up in the blankets of _my_ bed, sleeping soundly. He was dressed the same as me, revealing all of his caramel skin. I shivered at the sight, but was too tired to wake him.  He was sprawled out in the middle, giving me little room, but I was fine with it.

I crawled into the bed, lightly scooting over Eren’s surprisingly heavy body. He quickly turned over so he was facing me, eyes still closed, and promptly attached himself to me. I chuckled, wrapping my arm around him and pulling him onto my chest. I wrapped the blanket around us once again, sighing at the warmth of both his body and the blanket. It was like the first night at the hotel all over again, but so much better. I knew I wasn’t going to get much sleep- Eren and I had both slept on the plane, but I was content with just watching him. That wasn’t creepy since we were together, right?

After a few hours, I drifted off, forgetting completely that Eren had to work the next day and I needed to set an alarm.

\--------

“Fuck!” Was the first thing I woke up to. I blinked my eyes and grumbled at the loss of warmth from my bed. I was greeted to the sight of Eren haphazardly throwing his pants on at the side of the bed. I sighed loudly, realizing Eren was probably late for work. He turned around and smiled sheepishly at me. “Shit, I woke you?”

I laughed lazily and reached out for his arm, pulling him back to me. He made a surprised sound before falling onto my chest, quite ungracefully I might add. “Of course you did.”

He squirmed trying to get away from me, but I held him firmly. “What are you doing, Levi?” he asked curiously.

I didn’t want him to leave. I wanted him with me, even though we had just spent a week together. I didn’t want to watch him as he left, because some part of me was still scared he wouldn’t come back. It was irrational- he clearly wouldn’t do that, but I couldn’t help thinking it. Instead of voicing my concerns, I held his back against me firmly, kissing in between his shoulder blades. I knew he needed to go, and I couldn’t ask him to stay for my own selfish reasons. “I don’t know,” I said with a sigh.

He relaxed into me, and turned so his eyes were locked on mine. He twisted until he was straddling me, his efforts to get dressed completely abandoned. I couldn’t move even if I wanted to with the way he was looking at me. With so much affection, so much…something else. He leaned down, bringing one of his hands to my face, and kissed me softly. Just as it began, it was over, and he was smiling at me. “Get dressed,” he said, slipping out of my grip while I was stilled stunned from the kiss.

“Why?” I asked cautiously. He had successfully managed to put his pants on and was grinning at me from the side of the bed.

“Because you’re coming with me,” he said nonchalantly.

I furrowed my brows and was about to protest when I realized what he had done. He knew exactly what I was thinking when I brought him back to the bed. He knew I was afraid of being away from him, but didn’t want to voice it. My chest ached, but not in a bad way. It felt like an overwhelming sense of comfort I had never experienced before. Eren was so damn thoughtful and caring without even trying.

“Or just sit there like a fucking moron,” he said, dropping his voice and giving his best try to glare at me. I couldn’t help it- I laughed. And not a chuckle or a slight puff of air, really laughed. Eren looked stunned for a minute, but quickly recovered, joining in with me.

“Were you just mocking me?” I asked, finally sitting up from the bed.

He shrugged and continued to get ready, looking around for his suitcase. “Maybe. But seriously, you should come for a while. Hanji will want to see you I’m sure.”

 I shook my head and did the same, getting into the shower and going as fast as I could to make sure I didn’t make Eren later than he already was. I didn’t particularly want to see Hanji because that meant revealing to them that their plan had worked. But I had a feeling when Hanji saw us walk in together, there would be no mention of Eren’s lateness.

We made it out of the apartment and I got my car out of the garage to pick Eren up. It wasn’t much, but it sure as hell wasn’t as unsafe as Eren’s car. It wasn’t long before we pulled into the familiar building parking lot. I had actually only been here a few times, mostly when Hanji refused to pick up their phone in order to get me out of my apartment. I turned off the car and let Eren lead the way.

Once we got in the elevator, he was fidgeting. I raised an eyebrow at him. “What’s wrong?”

He turned towards me nervously. “I’m just not sure how you want to do this.”

“Do what?” I asked.

“You know, explain this. Like how we know each other and everything.” He paused, looking down at the floor. “And if you want anyone to know about our relationship,” he added, mumbling so quietly I almost didn’t hear.

I looked over and saw we still had ten more floors to get to until we were at the right level and made my decision. I stalked over to him until I was invading his personal space, then pushed his back against the wall. His eyes widened at my action, but he didn’t protest. I smirked, then sealed my lips over his in a bruising kiss. It had become my favorite thing to do to him. He melted under me, holding onto my arms like he would fall if he didn’t. I pulled away, happy that his breathing was now coming out erratically. “I want everyone to know, Eren.”

He downright whined at that, nodding his head feverishly. I pulled away, and just in time as the elevator doors opened. I collected myself while Eren still struggled to breath. I chuckled slightly and pulled him out of the elevator by his arm. “If anyone asks, I’m just your boyfriend who you met through Hanji. Hanji will obviously know, but I don’t really want anyone else to find out who I am.”  

“Got it,” he said with a smile. I noticed whenever I said the word “boyfriend” he would get ridiculously happy.

“Look,” I started, darting my eyes around at the chaos that was Wings of Freedom,” before we tell Hanji what happened in New York, we should probab- “

“ _Levi?!”_

I should have known they would have some freaky ass way of knowing I was here. I groaned loudly, not even bothering to turn and see who had called for me. Eren looked over, fear crossing his features. Yeah, that was the appropriate reaction. I had known Hanji long enough where they didn’t faze me anymore, but it was perfectly acceptable for Eren.

“Levi Ackerman?!” They repeated, eventually coming into view. I rolled my eyes. Hanji never changed, and I knew it. They’d always been this energetic and eccentric, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. But it was also the first time I would be introducing them to a boyfriend.

“Uh, Levi?” Eren whispered with a fake smile plastered on his face. “Shouldn’t you say something?”

“No. Maybe if I ignore them they’ll go away,” I mumbled back hopefully.

If only it were that easy. Hanji bounced towards us, all smiles and enthusiasm. I almost admired them for it. They stopped a few feet in front of us, hands on their hips and appraising us both. “Well, I can honestly say that I have never seen Levi walk into this building with any editor before. Good work, Eren!”

Eren laughed awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck. He clearly didn’t know if he was supposed to tell them we were dating. I was planning on it, but certainly not in the middle of this fucking office. That would cause way too much damage. “Let him be,” I said.

They raised an eyebrow curiously. “Hm, defending him are we? Okay you two- let’s talk in my office.”

Eren cleared his throat, apparently gaining back his ability to speak. “I probably have a lot to catch up on so maybe we should just-“

He was cut off by a loud laugh from Hanji. I sighed at his futile attempt to get out of the conversation, but I knew it wouldn’t work. I wasn’t prepared for this, but would I ever be? “Oh no, you two aren’t getting out of this so easily.”

“Shut up and just take us there,” I snapped. Hanji only giggled, then turned around and motioned for us to follow. Eren trailed beside me, nodding to a group of people off to the corner of the room. They all had the same, confused expression on their faces. They must be the other editors he works with, meaning one of them was actually my editor. I silently hoped it wasn’t the guy with the horrible attempt of an undercut.

My thoughts went back to the current situation when Hanji violently shut the door. The office I had so dutifully cleaned two weeks ago was already almost completely back to the shit hole it was before. I sighed loudly and took a seat, motioning for Eren to do the same. Hanji sat behind the desk, waiting patiently for one of us to speak.

“I have all day, Levi,” they said in a sing song voice. “And so does Eren since I’m his boss and all.”

Eren actually chuckled at the remark, granting him a pleased smile from Hanji. Oh no. They had already formed some weird sort of understanding with one another. It wouldn’t surprise me if they had talked while we were in New York.

I didn’t know how to tell Hanji. It’s not that I didn’t want to, but I literally didn’t know how to go about these sort of things. Did I just say that they were right and hey guess what- we’re fucking now? Eren probably wouldn’t like that. I certainly wasn’t going to go into details about just how much had happened between us even though they would most definitely want to know. I sighed and ran my hands through my hair. I had to remember this was new and different, but not bad. Hanji was after all one of my best friends, and they deserved to know. I took in a deep breath.

“Eren and I are dating.”

There was a pause. Hanji looked like I was pulling an elaborate prank on them. Eren looked smug, which was oddly satisfying for me. Hanji looked over to Eren, a clear question in their eyes. I snorted when I realized they honestly didn’t believe me.

“What he said,” Eren said with a shy smile.

Then, all hell broke loose.

Hanji was hugging me faster than any human being could move, squealing in my ear. My attempts to shove them off proved useless. “Get off me, Shitty Glasses!” I yelled. Eren, the traitorous bastard was only observing, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh behind his hand.

“I can’t believe this!” They cried out. “The boy who you’ve been pining over for weeks finally returned your affections!”

“Weeks?” Eren asked, his smile growing. Oh, I was going to kill them. Maybe not now, but soon.

Hanji finally let me go and turned their sights on Eren. He realized what was about to happen and his smile quickly left his face. That’s what he gets for laughing at me. Hanji hugged him just as hard, barely containing their excitement. They were obnoxious and loud and everything I hated, but I knew that I was happy they approved. “Alright, are we done here?” I asked.

Hanji let go of Eren, standing up straight and pouting. “But Levi! You can’t just leave after a revelation like this. You have to go tell Erwin, like now.”

I narrowed my eyes at them. I hadn’t told Erwin about Eren, but I knew they had probably informed him already. He had been trying to get me to date for years, and I’d turned down every one of his “suitors.” If he found out I had started dating someone without telling him, I was fucked.

“Um” Eren said, clearly nervous at the idea. “Do you think we could do that later?”

I looked at him carefully. Sure Erwin was intimidating, and I doubted Eren had even met him before. He worked five floors up and didn’t really have a reason to meet interns like Eren. “Yes- I’m not dealing with Eyebrows today. Not when I just had to deal with Hanji.”

“I’m right here,” They grumbled, leaning back on the desk. “Fine, but when he finds out from someone else he won’t be happy,” they warned. “Especially since I heard he’s got someone lined up for you.”

I grimaced. I’d definitely have to tell him now. I got up from the chair, taking Eren’s wrist and pulling him up with me. He merely shook his head. “Don’t you fucking tell him then, Hanji,” I shot back as I opened the door. I was about 99% sure they would call him the second I left the office. After all, the second they found out I had asked for Eren’s number when we first met they called to interrogate me. Patience was never something Hanji possessed.

I didn’t let go of Eren as we walked out and shut the door. There wasn’t any reason to anymore. I could still feel the group of author’s staring at us. Eren obviously did to, rolling his eyes at them, but not without a smile. “So, what now?” he asked. “I do actually have to work today,” he said with a frown.

“Go work,” I said with a shrug. “I will probably end up going to see Erwin, then I’ll head out. I’ll pick you up after you’re done.”

He looked a little sad, but we both knew I couldn’t distract him all day. I wasn’t keen on the idea on sitting around in my apartment alone either, but I too had to work. The vacation didn’t help with the fact I was starting to get behind on my new book, but I didn’t regret it. “I’ll see you at six,” I said, hesitating. I wanted to kiss him. I knew he wouldn’t care, but it was strange for me to want something so public.

Eren had gotten increasingly better at reading me, because he leaned down and chastely pressed his lips to mine. It wasn’t much of a kiss, but it still had my heart racing. He smiled at me goofily, then nodded. “See you at six.” I reluctantly turned away, only to hear his coworkers start interrogating him about who I was. I shook my head, grinning when I heard him triumphantly declare that I was his boyfriend.

Going back to the elevator, I realized I was going to have to go and see Erwin. If he found out I was here, which he would from Hanji, and I didn’t stop by, he would be pissed. I sighed, getting into the elevator and hitting his floor. I was confident in my ability to lie to almost everyone except Erwin Smith. He would know right away something was different with me, meaning I was going to have to tell him about Eren. Maybe since he just had a kid he would be more forgiving.

I stepped out when the doors opened, looking around at the floor. This was the only one that wasn’t constantly in a state of chaos, probably because it was just him and a few of the higher ups with offices here. I stepped up to the front desk, seeing a familiar blonde secretary. She smiled at me as I approached.

“Mr. Ackerman, it’s good to see you. Mr. Smith has just finished up a meeting,” she said politely.

I nodded at her, glad she got straight to the point. I walked off in the direction of his office, not bothering to knock once I got there. I opened the door and shut it behind me, greeted by the unamused face of my friend. He looked tired, but who wouldn’t with a new child and a company to run. Still, his blond hair was immaculately groomed and his blue suit was freshly pressed to perfection.

“Feel free to come in, Levi,” he droned, flicking his blue eyes back down to the paperwork he had on his desk.

“I haven’t seen you in nearly a month and that’s how you greet me?” I said, scoffing at him.

He sighed and set the paperwork down, rubbing his eyes. “You saw me two weeks ago. I dropped by your apartment when Hanji said they thought you were dying.”

I frowned, then realized that coincided with the time I was still hopelessly pining over Eren and I thought that he was back with his ex. “Right,” I mumbled. He had been there now that I think about it.

Erwin looked at me curiously, folding his arms over his desk. He motioned for me to sit, and I already knew he suspected me of something. I sat down in front of his desk, feeling as if I was about to me interrogated.

“So how did the signing go?” he asked innocently.

I shrugged. “Not bad. Pretty decent turn out.”

He hummed, a smile playing on his lips that I didn’t like at all. “That’s good then. But I couldn’t help but notice that Hanji didn’t accompany you. Now,” he said, resting his head on his hand, “you didn’t go alone, did you?”

My eye twitched as I tried to stay passive. Damn him- he knew perfectly well I would never do something like that without someone to keep the frenzied fans away from me. But maybe he really didn’t know who went with me. If Hanji really had kept their mouth shut, I owed them. Maybe I’d let them interrogate Eren for a few minutes. “No I didn’t,” I said coolly.

He hummed again, staring at me with that god damn smirk of his. “And who went with you?”

I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, but the blond bastard was making it as hard as possible. I was pretty sure he was doing it on purpose. I sighed loudly. I was better off just getting it over with, anyway. I wouldn’t wait until Eren was with me because he obviously wasn’t keen on meeting Erwin. “It was an intern. The one who replaced Petra.”

Erwin actually looked confused for a minute, much to my delight. It was tiring, him always having the upper hand. “You went with someone you work with? What’s their name?”

“Shouldn’t you know this type of shit?” I asked with my own smirk. “I mean you do run this place.”

He frowned at me. “It’s not like I know the name of every intern, Levi. And I have been a bit busy lately. You know, month old child. I can get the name from Hanji if you rather?” he asked.

“Fuck no,” I said rather quickly. No, they didn’t need to be conspiring. “Eren Jaeger,” I finally said.

“Eren Jaeger?” He repeated with amusement in his tone. I narrowed my eyes at him. He looked like he was enjoying this too much, and it definitely looked like he knew exactly who Eren was. What had the little shit done to get Erwin’s attention?

“That’s what I said,” I replied.

“I can’t believe you two still met,” he mumbled, apparently to himself.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” I asked exhaustedly.

He looked up and cleared his throat. “Oh, nothing. You were saying you went to New York with him?”

“Oh no,” I said firmly. “You’re going to tell me what the hell you were just talking about.”

Erwin sighed and shook his head. Something was going on, and I didn’t like it. “Well, it’s a long story,” he mumbled. I didn’t flinch. He nodded, resigned to tell the rest. “So I assume you know who Armin Arlert is?”

I nodded. Armin was Eren’s best friend. He talked about him at length along with his sister.

“Well, Eren might have mentioned it was Armin who got him this job. He had a meeting set up with Hanji, but that was the day they had called in sick. So I ended up meeting with Armin instead. He talked so highly about his friend, Eren, I would have been an idiot not to at least let him interview with Petra, which I did. After Petra met with him she told me I had to meet him, which I also did.  Working here wasn’t only thing about Eren I thought would work out.” He trailed off, tapping his fingers on the desk.

“And what was the other thing?” I asked impatiently.

“Like I said, Armin talked about him a lot. When I met him, I may have intimidated him a bit. But the point is, his personality seemed…fitting to yours.”

I stopped, staring at him blankly. “What does that mean?”

He sighed again. “It means I thought you two would get along. So I asked if Eren was single, which caused him to think _I_ was hitting on him, but after we cleared up the confusion, I set up a blind date for the two of you. I never told him who you were of course, just a friend of mine. But,” he said before I could event try to respond, “you adamantly refused like you always did.”

I was stunned. I remember exactly the date he was talking about. He went on and on about some barely out of college guy who would be just perfect for me, but I had never listened to Erwin on dating advice. Hell, it took him five years to even get a date with Petra. But this, this was insane. I could have been with Eren nearly eight months ago. I started to chuckle. Even if that was true, Eren and I’s history was better as it was. Erwin looked at me like I had gone insane, which was usually reserved for Hanji.

“Levi?” he asked with concern.

I continued to laugh. Well, he was definitely not going to be mad when he found out I was dating Eren. “Jesus Erwin, you sure know how to pick them. We’re dating,” I said with a shrug.

His eyes widened as he tried to gauge whether I was lying to him or not. When he saw that I was being truthful, he scooted back from his desk and looked at me with disbelief. “If you would have just listened to me eight months ago, this would have happened then!” he said in a scolding tone.

“Oh fuck off,” I said with a smirk. “You’re just mad because I met someone on my own.”

He huffed at me and shook his head. “Maybe. But I am happy for you, Levi. I obviously think Eren is good for you. I can’t believe this was such a coincidence, though.”

I stopped. Now that I thought about it, neither could I. That was just too weird. I knew Erwin didn’t have anything to do with it since he didn’t even know that Eren was working as Petra’s replacement, so there couldn’t be anyway that it was planned unless…

“Erwin, did you tell Hanji about Eren when you set us up for the date? Specifically, his name?”

He paused and thought for a while. “I believe so. After all, he was originally supposed to interview with them.”

“And after you and Petra agreed on setting us up, did you tell Hanji the plan?”

“Of course.”

I sat back in my chair and stared at him blankly. “And who did you put in charge of finding a temporary intern for me?”

  
“Petra and Hanj-,” his eyes widened fractionally. “This wasn’t a coincidence, was it?”

my head in my hands. I should have known. I should have fucking known Hanji would plan something like this. I was grateful of course, but seriously, that was almost an entire year of planning on their part. It was mildly impressive. 

Erwin and I caught up a bit more, mostly talking about his new daughter. He showed me an annoying amount of pictures of her, but I couldn’t say I minded much. The conversation eventually drifted back to Eren, which is when I excused myself. Not that I didn’t want to talk about him, but Erwin’s inquiries were almost as personal as Hanji’s.

I left and went back to my apartment, finding it incredibly hard to get anything done. I have up around lunch and grabbed myself something, texting Eren and asking if he wanted anything. He was apparently too busy fixing a printer or something and seemed pretty pissed about it. I ate alone, ready for six o clock to come around.

I actually got a little writing done, but something was different. I was used to writing tragic events, most of the time with almost no redeeming qualities. But since I met Eren, things had changed. It was almost easier to write happier events, and I knew exactly why. Even Eld had said something about it when I sent him the latest chapter.

I sighed and put my laptop away. He was changing me. Was that a bad thing? I didn’t think so, but it would make it all the harder if something ever happened to him. I couldn’t let myself think like that, though. For now, Eren was with me. He would stay, and that’s all I could hope for.

I sat back in my bed, almost tired enough to sleep. I looked around at the sheets and remembered how good it felt to see Eren splayed out across them. How his caramel skin practically glowed when the light hit him. His lips against mine, so sweet and soft, yet with a promise for more. It wasn’t long before my thoughts got out of hand. I closed my eyes, imagining he was here with me, wrapped up in me. How hot and tight it was when I was buried inside him, and how he screamed for more. I opened my eyes with a groan, realizing I still had three hours to see him. I contemplating jerking off so I could at least focus a little, but I wanted to wait for the real thing.

I was waiting outside the office at five fifty-five, impatiently tapping on the steering wheel. About ten minutes later, Eren came out of the office and smiled widely when he saw me waiting. I unlocked the door and smiled slightly when he came in. He closed the door and looked at me hesitantly for a minute, then sighed and leaned in. I welcomed him when he kissed me gently, touching his neck lightly. I deepened the kiss, nipping at his bottom lip softly, granting me a surprised moan. I smirked into the kiss, letting my tongue run along his bottom lip. He eagerly let me in, lacing his tongue with mine relentlessly.

I pulled away with a growl, taking in his appearance. He was panting with swollen lips, eyes blown with lust. “Your place?” he asked breathlessly.

I considered it, but my complex was nearly fifteen minutes away. I didn’t think I could wait that long without pulling over and taking him in the car. “Is yours is closer?” I asked. I had actually never been there.

He nodded a few times, then instructed me on how to get there. He told me he had sent a text to Armin who luckily wasn’t even home; he was with his girlfriend. We sped down the road, probably driving very unsafely. It was hard with Eren constantly leaning over, kissing down my neck and palming me through my pants.

We finally got there. I parked hastily, and Eren practically ran out of the car to unlock his apartment door. I pressed against him while he was fumbling with the key, kissing any skin I could reach and running my hands over his waist. “I-if you keep doing that we’re going to end up fucking out here,” he stuttered out, completely ignoring the lock in front of him. I clicked my tongue at him, grabbing the key and jamming it into the door, pushing us both inside.

 I didn’t have time to look around, not with Eren pining me against the door as soon as it was closed. He grabbed my hips and crushed his mouth against mine. I fisted my hand in his hair for purchase, delighted when he groaned as I tightened my grip. I used my other hand to bring our hips flush against one another, growling when I felt his arousal press against mine. He broke the kiss to let out a loud moan, grinding against me to get more friction.

I let my head hit the back of the door, all too happy to let Eren do as he pleased. He continued to move his hips tantalizingly against mine, panting and moaning as he did so. As much as I was enjoying myself, I needed more. Needed to watch him come undone because of me. I removed my hand from his hair and shoved against his chest, making him stumble backwards towards the couch. That was convenient.

I smiled at him wolfishly as he looked at me with wide eyes. I stalked over and pushed him until his knees hit the couch, sitting down clumsily. I didn’t waste time going down to my knees in front of him. I could see his erection straining through his pants. “You look excited,” I teased.

I ran my hands up his legs, purposely avoiding his crotch. He wasn’t the only one who could tease after all. He struggled not to buck up in the air, hands clawing at the couch beside him. “Levi,” he whined, making eye contact with me. Fuck, those eyes. I couldn’t say no to them. I undid his belt and tore it away from him, unzipping his pants and yanking them down with one swift movement. I lifted his hips to help me, biting his lower lip as he looked at me through hooded lids.

I hummed in content as I saw is arousal through his black boxer briefs. I brought my mouth towards him without warning, mouthing him through the fabric. He sucked in a breath as his mouth dropped open, practically shaking already. I continued to lick and tease him through the cloth, loving the reactions I got out of him.

 “I can’t take it anymore,” he gasped, threading one of his hands in my hair. I smirked at him, finally pulling down the fabric and revealing him. He was fully hard, tip glistening with pre-come. I had teased him enough, so I didn’t waste time wrapping my hand around the base, giving him one firm stroke. The moan I received was downright pornographic. I growled, realizing my own problem growing in my pants. I pushed the thought aside and focused on Eren.

I slowed my hand, bringing my mouth over him as I did. I could start out slow, let him build for a while, but I was too aroused to do so. Instead, I took the head in my mouth without a second thought, lapping at it with my tongue. “God-!” Eren choked out, increasing the pressure on my hair. I moaned as he did, sucking harshly and beginning to move my head.

We were both lost in the moment, too caught up in what we were doing to notice anything else except each other. Which unfortunately, included the door opening.

“ _Eren?!”_

Eren gave a loud yell, pulling me off of him with his hand. I didn’t even look to see who it was before grabbing a pillow off the couch and covering him. Eren was mine to see- no one else’s. I whipped my head around to see a woman standing in the doorway, covering her eyes with her hand.

“Oh my god Mikasa what the hell?!” Eren yelled, face red with embarrassment. He scrambled to button his pants, hands still shaking.

“You’re asking _me that?!”_ she yelled back, eyes still covered with her hand. “Okay, I’m leaving. Just…tell me when you’re done,” she said, voce dripping with disgust.

She quickly left the room, shutting the door securely behind her. I was still on the floor, watching Eren as he buried his face in his hands.

“So,” I said, “that was your sister, huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So just a few things- as always, thanks to everyone who continues to read. Your comments make my day!  
> I have a final count for the chapters- 17 including a short epilogue, so we're in the last stretch.


	14. Come Home Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi finally meets all of Eren's family, but not in the best of ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't seem to write chapters without smut anymore. Oh well.

I sat, slumped over in my chair nursing a cappuccino at the familiar coffee shop, completely and utterly embarrassed. Across from me, probably just as embarrassed was my sister, glaring at Levi with all of her power. Levi on the other hand, was sitting next to me apparently unfazed by all of this. I don’t know how we ended up here after my sister walked in on me receiving a what _was_ a fantastic blow job, but we were here. And no one had said a word. I mean, what would you say in this situation, anyway?

“Eren,” Mikasa started firmly, still avoiding eye contact with me, “why didn’t you tell me you were seeing someone?”

I sighed, knowing that this was coming. Mikasa wouldn’t be angry that I was dating someone, but she definitely would be because I hadn’t told her about it. “Because it’s…complicated,” I said lamely. She finally looked at me, completely unimpressed.

“Try me,” she said, crossing her arms. I looked over at Levi, but he only shrugged, giving me permission to tell her whatever I pleased.

“Well, this is Levi,” I started, motioning to him. “We’ve been dating for like…a week now.”

She furrowed her brow, looking back to Levi. “How is that complicated?”

I groaned, running my hands through my hair. If I told her the whole truth, she could probably link Levi to his work. Mikasa was resourceful when needed, and wouldn’t stop until she had ever detail about the guy’s I dated. I couldn’t betray Levi like that, but I didn’t want to lie to her, either. Luckily, Levi took over for me.

“Look,” he said emotionlessly, “I don’t know you, but Eren trusts you with everything. I’m about to tell you something that I would very much like to be kept between us. Think you can do that?” he asked her.

Mikasa looked at him curiously. I couldn’t believe that Levi was about to tell her who he was. That must mean he didn’t see this relationship ending anytime soon. I watched in interest as Mikasa nodded. I knew she wouldn’t tell anyone else about him.

“Alright,” he started again. “Eren and I met through work. He’s filling in for my editor. I’m an author, obviously, but I don’t want my name out there. He couldn’t tell you because you could possibly find out about that.” Levi looked over at me, smiling faintly. “He was protecting me.”

“Is this true, Eren?” she asked. She looked like she believed him, but I knew it would take much, much longer for her to trust him completely.

“It is,” I said, nodding. “And with the trip we didn’t really get a chance to tell anyone-“

I stopped talking when I saw her eyes widen. Shit- Levi had so craftily avoiding the fact that he was the one who asked me to go to New York. She scoffed, looking back and forth between us. I had fucked up, and from the unimpressed look Levi was giving me, he knew it, too.

“You went on a trip with your boyfriend and _lied_ to me?” she growled out. I shrunk back in my chair, forgetting that Mikasa was just as intimidating as Levi was sometimes. I struggled to find a way to get her to believe that we weren’t even dating during some of the time, but that was probably worse, wasn’t it?

“I didn’t lie!” I said, a little too loudly. “It really was for work, things just sort of go out of hand…” I mumbled.

“Oh, I can definitely see that,” she shot back sarcastically. My face heated up once again, and Levi had the audacity to chuckle at her. “Is he forcing you?” she asked as if he wasn’t even there.

Now Levi actually _laughed._ “I don’t have to force Eren into anything,” he said, grinning at me.

“You aren’t helping!” I said to him. Seriously, he chooses now to develop a sense of humor? Mikasa looked completely shocked, and maybe a little uncomfortable. I couldn’t really blame her.

“Sorry,” he mumbled loud enough so only I could hear. I gave him a half smile and shook my head. “I understand why you’re suspicious of this,” he said louder. Mikasa eyed him wearily, but let him continue. “I’m older, you didn’t know about me, and I’ve been told I’m…abrasive.” He shot a glance over at me. “But I care about your brother. More than I should for only knowing him two months. You’re probably going to give me the ‘hurt him and I’ll kill you speech,’ which I’m fine with. If I do hurt him, I want nothing less.”

It was quiet again. But this silence wasn’t uncomfortable. I didn’t know what to say to Levi. I wanted him to know I felt the same, and I was just so happy he’s said it out loud, but my words wouldn’t come. Mikasa put her hands down on the table and cleared her throat, trying to compose herself. She was just as surprised at his words. “I understand,” she said, with almost a hint of approval in her tone. “I appreciate you being so open, Levi.”

I let out a sigh of relief. She and Levi were both being civil, which is more than I thought would happen today. Given the circumstances of their meeting, it was more than I could have asked for. I smiled at both of them, reaching for both of their hands. Mikasa smiled at me fondly while Levi cautiously watched as Mikasa and I interacted, grabbing onto my hands firmly. “I’m so glad you guys didn’t try and kill each other,” I said honestly.

“Not yet at least,” Mikasa mumbled into her scarf.

I chose to ignore her last comment. Now that I finally had time to think, I didn’t even ask why Mikasa had come over in the first place. “Mikasa, why did you come in my apartment, anyway?”

“Without knocking,” Levi added.

She glared at Levi, then turned back to me. “I hadn’t seen you for a nearly two weeks and you wouldn’t answer your phone,” she mumbled into her scarf.

I smiled at her. Despite being extremely overprotective, I knew she meant well. “Just…warn me next time, okay?”

“Definitely,” she answered quickly.

After that, things got a bit better. Mikasa even tried to start a non-hostile conversation with Levi a few times. As I watched them interact, I realized how similar they were. Neither one showed their emotions on their face, but if you knew them well enough, you could pick up on how they were feeling. They were both overprotective and if angry, really scary. Maybe they would get along one day after all.

We all agreed to leave after about an hour. Even though I wouldn’t say Mikasa _liked_ Levi, she certainly didn’t seem to want to kill him anymore. As for Levi, he seemed pretty indifferent. But it was almost as if the two of them had a silent understanding of one another. It was strange, really.

I walked Mikasa out of the building, leaving Levi to wait for me. I had a feeling she would want to say a few things to me when he wasn’t around. Once we were out of the door, I took her around the side of the shop and sat down on a bench there. She didn’t hesitate to sit with me, smiling lightly as she did.

“So you’re serious about him?” she asked me.

I smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Very.”

She shifted around on the bench and sighed. “He treats you well?”

I laughed. Levi was rough around the edges at first, but he ended up treating me better than…well, anyone. And it wasn’t just the trip or the dinners, it was him. The way he always knew exactly what to say to me to make me feel better and the way he never judged me. “Mikasa, I can’t even tell you how well.”

She scrunched up her nose at me and turned away. I groaned and shook my head at her frantically. “No, not like that! Well I mean yes like that, like holy shit yes but - “

“That’s enough,” she said with a grimace. I couldn’t help but break out into a laugh. I saw a slight upturn of her lips as I did so.

“In all seriousness, Levi is great to me. You don’t need to worry,” I reassured her.

It looked like she had finally given in. She sighed deeply, but nodded her head. “Okay. I trust you, Eren.”

I beamed at her. It wasn’t exactly approval, but it was close enough. I enveloped her in a tight hug, sighing in relief. It’s not as if I couldn’t date Levi if she didn’t approve, but it meant so much to me that she was okay with it. “Thank you, Mikasa.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she grumbled when we pulled away. “Does Armin know yet?”

I shook my head. Armin would be so much easier to tell in one way, but not in another. Somehow, the once innocent little blond boy I grew up with had grown into a devious little shit whenever I was in a relationship. Things like asking for details when it was definitely not necessary, buying me things that I would definitely not wear, and many more things. I was glad he was always so enthusiastic, but it could be so embarrassing at times. “No, I haven’t told him. He’s been pretty busy with Annie recently.”

“Annie?” Mikasa asked. “Annie Leonhart?”

“Um,” said weakly. So, Annie and Mikasa didn’t get along well in high school. They were always competing with one another to the point where they formed a not so friendly rivalry. “Yeah.”

Her face was blank, but her voice gave away her true feelings. “Eren, please tell me he isn’t dating her. I can’t have my brother and my best friend dating short assholes.”

I had to cover my mouth to stifle my laugh. I hadn’t even realized the connection there. God, Levi would kill me if he found me laughing at his height. “Shit, he didn’t tell you?”

She crossed her arms over her chest and sat back on the bench with a loud thump. “Of course not, my family doesn’t find it necessary to tell me things anymore,” she said, voice filled with annoyance.

“Oh stop being dramatic,” I said. “That’s my job,” I said, hitting her with my elbow. “If it makes you feel any better he didn’t tell me until they were dating for like two weeks.”

A small smile crept onto her face. “Actually, it does.”

“Mikasa,” I said, grabbing her hand. She looked at me quizzically. “I am sorry for not telling you. I just got so caught up with the whole thing and I’m sure that’s Armin’s reason, too. I haven’t been this happy in a long time,” I whispered. It was true -everything. Levi had turned my life upside down, but in the best way possible. He was harsh, but forgiving, distant at times, but comforting when I needed him. I never felt uncomfortable around him, and I don’t think he did around me, either. It was…unbelievably good.

“Eren…” she said softly, “are you falling for this guy?”

I couldn’t look at her, because I knew she would already know the answer if I did. It didn’t make any sense. I’d known Levi for only two or so months, dated him for even less. It took me more than six months to realize I had strong feelings for Jean, and I’d known him my whole life. So why was Levi different? It was almost terrifying how fast I’d fallen for him. Since the first day I sat with him, I knew I had to be with him. Maybe I didn’t tell myself that directly, but I knew. And now that we were actually together, it was only intensified. I wouldn’t tell him yet. I couldn’t; it would probably scare him off. But I didn’t mind waiting. My feelings weren’t going anywhere, so there wasn’t any rush. “I think so,” I answered so quietly I wasn’t sure if she even heard me.

She squeezed my hand, indicating that she had heard me. She didn’t comment, which meant more to me than anything she could have said. If she didn’t approve, I would have definitely heard it from her. “You should get back to him. He’s been staring at us the whole time.”

I laughed and turned around. Sure enough, Levi was sitting impatiently, waiting for me to finish talking with her. She didn’t acknowledge what I had said, and I was grateful. I knew she was probably skeptical, but I appreciated the fact that she didn’t voice it. “You’re right. Need a ride home?”

She shook her head and stood up. “No thank you. I’ve got a bus pass for a reason.”

I nodded and stood up as well, embracing her once more before she left. She gave me one last smile before saying goodbye and walking off towards the nearest bus stop. I watched her walk away, then went back into the café where Levi was still waiting. I walked back in and sat down with a loud, relieved sigh. “So, that’s Mikasa.”

Levi hummed, amused smile on his face. “I think I like her.”

I laughed and smiled appreciatively. “She likes you too, she just doesn’t know it yet.”

“I guess that’s good,” he replied.

We sat in the shop for a few more minutes, then decided on going home. Levi agreed to come back to my apartment because it was closer and Armin would most likely spend the night with Annie. I was undeniably happy with how the day turned out, despite the few setbacks. Mikasa had never approved of anyone I dated, so this was something new. I think she realized just how much he meant to me. Levi drove us back and parked outside the building. We both got out for the second time today, a lot less frantic than the first.

We eventually got inside, Levi taking the time to actually look around this time. It was nothing compared to his beautiful apartment, but I felt like he didn’t mind. I hastily went over to the kitchen area and put away some dishes that had been left out. I hadn’t thought Levi was going to come over, so I hadn’t had any time to clean. “Sorry, with Armin gone so much lately I’ve had to do most of the cleaning. Obviously I’m still getting used to it,” I said with a shy grin.

Levi walked over to me and wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, laying his head on my back. The best part about being officially involved with Levi? He was much more affectionate. Like, much more. I never imagined he would be one to cuddle, but if I’m being honest, I think he likes it more than I do. “Relax, Eren. Just because I’m neurotic about cleaning doesn’t mean you have to be.”

I smiled to myself, cleaning up the dishes anyway. “I kind of want to clean up a bit, though. You’re a bad influence on me.”

I felt him laugh slightly before taking his arms back and leaning on the counter beside me. “I don’t doubt that. I’ll help you.”

For the next half hour, we cleaned up the kitchen, then moved onto the living room. This definitely wasn’t how I imagined my day with Levi was going to go, especially after what happened on the couch, but I didn’t mind. Doing something as domestic as cleaning with him was satisfying in its own way. And Levi seemed to genuinely enjoy himself, which was just another reason I found him so damn adorable.

After we finished, I slumped onto the couch. I was tired from a stressful day of Hanji, work, an almost amazing orgasm, and my sister. I should probably phrase that differently, but nonetheless, I was exhausted. I hadn’t realized how much I really went through today until I sat down and thought about everything that happened. Levi finished washing his hands from the kitchen and sat with me laying his legs over my lap as he sat back on the couch. It wasn’t late enough to sleep, so I suggested putting a movie in. He agreed with a shrug, and we sat on the couch watching some movie I literally couldn’t tell you the name of.

I got bored with it easily, turning my attention to Levi. His sharp features were trained on the tv, watching intently. I couldn’t imagine he was actually focusing that much on this particular film. The more I looked at him, the more my mind wandered. Particularly, what we did on this very same couch only hours before.  And how much I would like to continue those activities if I wasn’t so tired I was almost falling asleep every second. Instead, I settled for scooting over to Levi and setting myself in between his legs. He willingly let me lean back on his firm chest, becoming my pillow. I smiled at him and he responded by running his fingers through my hair. I had changed out of my work clothes and was so comfortable with Levi behind me that sleep found me almost straight away.

I woke up in my bed, which was odd because I didn’t remember falling asleep there. I blinked my eyes wearily, hearing the cry of my alarm like I had so many times before. I turned over in my bed in an attempt to shut it off, but Levi’s body blocked me. He must have carried me into the bedroom last night. “I got it,” he mumbled in a scratchy voice. He leaned over (shirtless, I may add) and turned off the annoying alarm, then slumped back on the bed.

“Morning,” I said groggily.

“Mm,” he grunted, eyes shut and laying on his back on the bed.

Like me, Levi wasn’t a morning person. This made things bad for both of us since it meant neither of us were motivated enough to leave the warmth of the bed if we were with one another. I yawned loudly, stretching my arms above my head. Maybe I could just call in today. After Hanji’s reaction yesterday, maybe I could get away with it. I opened my eyes and peeked over at Levi who was still happily falling back asleep. I felt a tinge of guilt when I realized my alarm had woken him up as well as me even though he had no reason to get up. I propped myself up on my elbows and leaned over him, connecting our lips softly as a way of an apology. He opened his eyes when I pulled away, a slightly surprised expression on his face.

“Morning breath,” he said simply.

I huffed at him, laying on my back besides him. “First I’m denied an orgasm yesterday, and now I’m denied a morning kiss,” I mumbled.

I felt him stir beside me, edging so his side was pressed against mine. He kissed my neck softly, working his way up to my ear. I hummed in appreciation, tilting my head so he had more access. He nibbled softly on the lobe before releasing it. “If we brush our teeth, maybe I’ll fix both of those things.”

Well, we were both awake now. With unprecedented speed, we both got up and went into the small bathroom. Levi had used an extra tooth brush I stole from Armin’s closet last night which I let him use again. I liked the idea of him keeping a few things here, anyway. We both brushed our teeth side by side, then practically ran back to the bed. If we were quick, I probably wouldn’t even have to call in late.

I moved so I was on top of Levi, leaving opened mouthed kisses down his chest. The best thing about Levi was he didn’t have to go into work every day, meaning I could mark him wherever I pleased. He acted indifferently towards it, but the way his breath hitched whenever I sucked especially hard or left a bruise made me think he liked it more than he let on.

We both knew we didn’t have time for sex, so I settled with palming his growing erection through his thin boxers. He growled at this, yanking my head down for a rough kiss. We wasted no time; his tongue immediately darted out to meet mine, invading my mouth and making me whimper. I involuntarily ground our hips together, making him hiss in surprise. I sat up from him, ripping off my shirt and throwing it across the room, then struggling to take my sweat pants off. I cursed when I had to stand up off the bed to get them off, deciding my boxers were going to have to go as well. Levi chuckled at my obvious eagerness, laying back on the bed like he didn’t have a care in the world.

I jumped back on the bed, now completely nude, crashing our lips together again. “You’re not naked enough,” I breathed in between kisses. He rolled his eyes at me with a smirk, then grabbed my wrist. He brought it to the waistband of his boxers and locked his eyes with me.

“Then do something, Jaeger,” he taunted.

I smirked back at him, dragging down the material slowly to tease him. His erection sprang free, and I think my mouth may have watered at the sight. I looked back at his eyes, my gaze locked on him as I grabbed the base with my hand, stroking too gently to bring him the pleasure I know he wanted. I never said I wasn’t a tease.

He sighed softly, keeping my gaze. “Wait,” he gasped. I stopped immediately, looking at him with concern. He rolled his eyes at me once he saw my expression. “I was just going to ask if you had any lube.”

I smiled at him then, reaching over and pulling open the dresser drawer by the bed. I fumbled around for a bit before I felt the small tube beneath my fingers. I hadn’t exactly had much of a need for it for a while. I pulled it out and popped the cap, spreading it over my hand. I looked below me and saw that Levi was struggling to stay still, squirming a bit on the bed in anticipation. “Now whose eager,” I murmured quietly.

He was going to respond, but it was cut off as I grabbed his member with my slick hand, pumping him faster than before. He threw his head back against the bed and groaned. He wasn’t nearly as vocal as I was during sex, but the small noises he did make went straight to my cock. I continued to fuck him with my hand, paying close attention to the sensitive head. Pre-cum had started to form at the tip, and I couldn’t take it anymore.

I leaned down until our arousals were touching, then took us both into my hand. I moaned at the feeling of his slick cock rubbing up against mine. He was hard and hot and _fuck_ I never thought this would feel like it did. I continued to move my hand, thrusting up against him as well. He was clawing at the sheets beside him, his mouth hanging open in a silent moan.

My hand stroked the both of us as I continuously ground down onto his cock. I found myself resting my forehead on Levi’s, kissing him every once and a while when he fell silent. He would always moan quietly when I did.

Neither of us were going to last long, but that was fine. Between the pace I was keeping and the small whimpering noises Levi was releasing involuntarily, I had no intention of lasting. I kissed over his nose, cheeks, and finally down to his lips, muffling both of our moans. My cock was pulsing, aching for release as it slid across Levi’s own throbbing member. But I wanted Levi to cum first. I wanted to be able to watch as I tipped him over, and as I was solely responsible for his pleasure.

“Levi,” I gasped in his ear. “I want to see you cum,” I said as I flicked my thumb into the slit of his cock.

He threw his arms around me at my words, moving his hips in time with mine. “Fucking m-make me cum, then,” he rasped.

I smirked, and with a few more strokes and moans of his name, Levi was coming, hot spurts of white releasing as he stilled. His face was flushed red, lips parted as his orgasm overcame him. It was too much for me; I came seconds later, emptying myself over Levi’s stomach and chest. I let go of our cocks when we were too sensitive to continue, grabbing some tissues from the bed side to wipe us clean, then collapsing on Levi. He didn’t even pretend to care, only panting lightly and keeping his arms around me.

If I had realized we had spent nearly twenty minutes with our activities after my alarm had gone off, I would have been worried. Because Armin and I had an arrangement; if I’m not out of my room twenty-five minutes after my alarm, I accidentally fell back asleep and he would need to wake me. He probably spent the night at Annie’s, but I knew she had to work early, so he probably came home. But, I was too content to be with Levi to even think of such a thing.

Which is why, for the second time, a member of my family came walking into the door unexpectedly.

“Eren Jaeger I am seriously getting tired of your oversleep-“Armin paused once he entered the room. I froze completely, afraid that if I moved it would expose Levi to unwanted eyes.

“Uh,” I said lamely.

Armin hadn’t screamed like Mikasa, or even covered his eyes. He merely stood by the door, amused yet confused look on his face. “Well, at least I waited till you finished. You’re going to be late.” Then he walked out, shutting the door behind him.

Levi looked at me. I looked at Levi. And we laughed because who the fuck has that happen to them two days in a row? I buried my face in his neck, only a slightly bit embarrassed because Armin had honestly seen me do a lot worse.

“I’m never doing anything sexual with you in this apartment again,” I whined once we had stopped laughing.

“Well, Armin _does_ have better timing than your sister,” Levi said with a chuckle. “I’m beginning to think you want to get caught,” he taunted.

“Yes because I really want my sister and my friend who I consider my family to see me having sex,” I deadpanned.

“I’ve heard weirder,” he said with a shrug.

I didn’t ask, instead only kissing him lightly once before I reluctantly got up from the bed. I was way behind schedule, not that I regretted anything, but I knew I needed to start getting ready. A shower was definitely needed now, and I had a feeling Levi would want to join me. That would not help me take a speedy shower.

It took a lot of convincing, but I managed to get Levi to allow me to shower first, alone. He was just too much of a temptation when I was running behind. I cleaned myself faster than I ever had before, making it out in five minutes. I hastily dried my hair, but stopped when I heard Levi scoff behind me from the bedroom. He came over and took the towel from me, drying it to his standards. I let him shower next, going into my bedroom and picking out clothes for the day. I threw on a button up and some slacks, then braced myself to leave to room. Armin would no doubt be waiting for me, and he would have questions. Questions I didn’t mind answering, and others that I knew I would.

I walked out of the room and frowned a bit when I didn’t smell anything cooking. He must have done that so I wouldn’t me even more behind. I stopped and looked in the kitchen, Armin sitting on one of the barstools, staring back at me with a grin. I sighed, knowing he had been waiting the whole time.

“I take it your trip went well?” he said amusedly.

I couldn’t fight the smile that found itself to my face. “Yeah, I guess it did.”

Armin smiled widely. “You guess? From what I saw, it definitely went well.”

I blushed and turned away from him. How could he be so shy about his own relationships and so open with other people’s? “Maybe try knocking next time,” I mumbled.

He scoffed and turned so he was facing me again. “But then I wouldn’t have gotten to see what he looked like.”

I stopped and raised my eyebrows at him. “Are you telling me you knew someone was with me and you went in anyway?” I said.

He shrugged, sheepish grin on his face. “Maybe.”

“Armin Arlert, what happened to you being innocent?” I asked in shock. “It must be Annie,” I mumbled to myself. “What if we _weren’t_ finished?!”

“Oh I was sure,” he said with a dry laugh. “You guys are loud.”

I blushed brightly once again, holding my head in my hands. Don’t get me wrong, I was happy Armin was taking this so well, but he was being way to open about everything. Although I guess Levi and I can get pretty loud. “Well, thank you, I guess? It’s better than Mikasa.”

His eyes brows shot up comically as he took in what I had said. “Are you telling me Mikasa walked in on you guys?”

I groaned at the memory, happy to never be reminded of that incident ever again. But if I didn’t tell him, Mikasa would probably anyway.” Pretty much. She’s cool with us now. Levi actually likes her.”

He laughed heartily, shaking his head. “Oh my god, you have the worst luck. So would I know any of his works?”

I paused, running my hand through my hair. I had completely forgotten Armin was obsessed with Levi’s book. There was no way I could tell him without him freaking out, and Levi would not appreciate that. I wasn’t even sure of he would mind that Armin knew he was an author in the first place. I’d have to lie to Armin, if just for a little while. “Um, probably not,” I said weakly. “He writes…” I wracked my brain, trying to think of some type of book Armin doesn’t read, which was near impossible. Some sort of book that Armin wouldn’t read even if he knew the author personally. An idea popped in my head, and I knew Levi was going to kill me as soon as he found out. But, what other choice did I have? “He writes gay romance novels.”

Armin blinked at me, surprise obvious on his face even though he was trying to hide it. “Oh. Um, well that’s definitely something I wouldn’t have read before,” he said with a small laugh.

Before I could do something to make Armin realize I was lying, I heard the shower turn off. I took it as my opportunity to escape, taping my hand on the counter and straightening up. “Well I better go say goodbye to him.” I briskly walked out of the kitchen before he could reply and shut the door behind me. I knocked on the bathroom door and waited for Levi to open it. He did, with damp hair and minus a shirt.

“I have to get to work,” I said, my eyes glued on his shirtless form. “Armin will make you breakfast if you ask, or you can just get something on the way home.”

“So what did you tell him about us?” He didn’t sound accusatory, just curious.

“Um,” I said, rubbing the back of my neck. “He already figured out that you were an author, but I didn’t tell him who you were,” I said with a shy smile.

He looked at me skeptically, but nodded. “Okay. See you after work then.” I nodded, leaning down for a chaste kiss. He happily complied, then shut the door in my face. I frowned, but I knew how Levi was about his cleaning habits.

I walked out of the apartment and ignored Armin’s inquiries about Levi, too late to stop and talk with him. I’d catch him up later. I was actually really nervous leaving those two alone together. Knowing Armin, he’s pull his little innocent act and try to get information out of Levi. And knowing Levi, he’d wouldn’t say a thing. I smiled as I got into my car.

My morning was pretty dull; Hanji didn’t mind that I was late, but my editors did since they needed their coffee. I was content it was a typical, boring day until I felt my phone buzz in my pocket only an hour after I had left the apartment. I frowned and took it out, noticing it was Levi. I had to stifle a laugh when I read it over.

_Out of all the fucking things you could come up with, you choose a gay romance writer? What the actual fuck, Eren?_


	15. Slacking off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren is beginning to be less cautious about his relationship with Levi, causing some suspicion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a random new POV at the end and the next chapter will also contain a lot of that POV...

It wasn’t often I lost track of time. My life was monotonous enough that I counted down the days until a weekend, making then drag on even more. But since I got together with Levi, I couldn’t believe how fast the weeks flew by.

Before I knew it, there was only a few short days until Petra’s leave was up. Meaning, Levi would no longer be my author. A few months ago this would have wracked me with the fear that I’d never see him again, but it didn’t anymore. I knew we would still be together even though we wouldn’t work with one another anymore. It was fine, really.

But, it wasn’t.

I’d miss being able to see him during the day. I’d miss bringing him lunch and spending an extra half hour of work with him because Hanji was just so happy that Levi was happy they’d let me stay. I’d miss the feeling I got whenever Eld handed me a chapter of Levi’s to take back. It was selfish and maybe even a little brattish, but I was definitely going to miss it.

I tapped on my desk impatiently, waiting for Eld to come over and drop off a folder on my desk. This would be the last chapter I deliver back to Levi. It was odd, knowing I’d been working with Levi for three months already. It seemed like longer, and it definitely seemed like we had been dating for longer than a month and a half. Maybe it was because we both had feelings for each other for longer than that, but either way, we quickly fell in stride with one another.

It wasn’t perfect. Sometimes I’d leave a dirty dish out on the table and Levi would bring me over to it and scold me like a child, then I’d yell at him and tell him to stop being condescending. He’d apologize. Other times we’d be out in public and I’d try and kiss him, but he felt uncomfortable with PDA in front of large groups of people. I’d feel insecure for a bit, but he’d always pick up on it and grab my hand. We knew we were both going to screw up. We knew that a perfect relationship wasn’t attainable, and that was alright. More than alright, really. We weren’t perfect, and we didn’t want to be.

“Daydreaming about Levi again, Eren?” Eld asked me with a grin. I hadn’t even realized he had walked over.

I had introduced Levi a few weeks back when he brought my lunch to the office one day. Of course I didn’t reveal he was actually an author at the company- I still hadn’t told anyone. But the editors insisted on meeting him, so I reluctantly let them. Oluo was oddly intrigued by him, Gunther seemed indifferent, and Eld was his usual, likable self. I think Levi was glad when I told him later than Eld was his editor.

“Is it that obvious?” I replied. Eld was the only one who didn’t relentlessly tease me about me apparent infatuation with Levi, but that didn’t stop him from doing it every once and a while.

“Pretty much. And here I thought you’d end up with whoever ‘H.S’ is,” he said, dropping the folder on my desk.

I smiled, inwardly thinking how right he was. I wonder if I told Levi, would he get jealous of himself? “Well, don’t tell Levi that,” I said with a laugh. I picked up the folder and thanked Eld, walking out of the door as soon as he was out of eye shot.

It took me a while to start driving the speed limit when I went to Levi’s apartment, but I did eventually drive safely once again. I pulled into his complex around fifteen minutes later, sighing as I picked up the folder. This was going to be one of those visits where I stayed a while.

It wasn’t long before I was knocking at the door like I did every time, regardless of the fact Levi told me to just come in. I was sure he would change his mind one day about it and get angry at me, so I kept knocking. It was easier that way.

“I wonder who it could be!” I heard him yell sarcastically from the other side of the door. I shook my head with a smile and walked in, taking off my shoes like I always did.

“Don’t be an ass,” I mumbled back. I shut the door behind me and looked around for him. He was lounging on the couch with his legs stretched out and head resting on the pillows behind him. He was actually wearing sweatpants for once, making me think he went to the gym earlier today. His bare feet hung off the edge of the couch as he looked at me with a small smile. He seemed like he was in a good mood today.

“Then don’t be a little shit,” he countered. I grinned and walked over to him, setting the folder with his work down on the table in front of the couch. I wasted no time in cuddling up next to him, laying my head down on his chest. This had become our usual routine. Levi hummed appreciatively, starting to run his fingers through my hair. I sighed loudly, burying my head in his neck.

“You alright?” he asked me. It shouldn’t surprise me how easily he could pick up on my moods, but it still did.

I shrugged, closing my eyes and leaning into his touch. “This is the last time I get to deliver for you.”

He stilled the movement of his hand. “I guess it is. Petra told me she was coming back, but I didn’t realize what that meant for you.” He didn’t sound as upset as I felt, but I knew he was disappointed as well.

“It’s stupid, really. I used to be afraid of her coming back because it meant I didn’t get to see you anymore, but obviously that’s not the case. But it’s still upsetting, you know? Does that sound clingy?”

He laughed, the sound vibrating through his chest as I listened. “Considering you’re literally clinging to my right now, I hardly think it matters if it does.” He started to play with my hair again, also letting his other hand run over my back. “But I get it. I think I’ll miss you.”

Even after dating him for over a month, it still surprised me to hear him so things like that. He got better and better at expressing his emotions the more time we spent together, but it was still so foreign. I smiled into his neck, breathing in his scent. He always smelled so good, so clean, it was just uniquely him. I stayed like that, letting Levi touch me as he pleased, not even worrying about getting back to the office.

“You know,” Levi said slowly, letting his hand that was on my back travel lower down my body, “if this is the last time you’ll deliver, we’d better make it memorable.”

I opened my eyes to look at him and ask what he meant, but my words turned into a gasp as he squeezed my ass through my dress pants. I smiled and let out a breathless chuckle, looking at him with amused eyes. “And how are we going to do that?” I asked innocently.

He smirked at me before swiftly reversing our positions so he was laying on top of me. I shivered as he slotted himself in between my legs and ran his hands over my clothed chest, staring at me wolfishly. “Well, I have a few things in mind,” he whispered seductively.

I knew this was a bad idea. Some rational part of me screamed that I certainly didn’t have time for this, and even if I did, it would be glaringly obvious to everyone at the office what I had been up to. But, that rational part of me jumped out the window once Levi hooked his hands on his shirt and peeled it off slowly, revealing his flawless alabaster skin to me. I sat up on the couch, gripping his sides and slowly trailing my hands up. I tucked my head away in his neck, kissing the skin there softly, reveling in the quiet sighs that escaped Levi. I felt him start to unbutton my shirt one by one, then sliding it completely off my torso once he was finished.

I leaned back and cupped his face with my hand, bringing us together for a kiss. Our mouths moved together hungrily, quickly turning messy and heated. As our bare chests moved together, my dress pants began to get uncomfortably tight. I felt him pushing on my chest, and I happily laid back on the couch. The sight of him hovering over me was enough to make me groan, shooting my hands out to try and take off his sweatpants. He chuckled at me, grabbing my wrists and pinning them above me. I let out a shaky breath and he leaned down, only inches away from me. “You’re always so eager. I fucking love that about you, you know?”

I had to bit my lip to stop a moan from spilling out as he suddenly grabbed my rapidly hardening cock through my pants. I shamelessly bucked up into his hand, looking for that sweet friction he provided. He obliged me, massaging my crotch through the fabric with his skilled hand. “Could you cum like this, Eren? With only my hand rubbing against your cock?”

My eyes widened in shock as he continued to palm me. Levi and I had quite an adventurous sex life, but we’d never tried dirty talk. I was god awful at it, and Levi didn’t need it to be sexy. But now that he was actually doing it, my heart raced. “Fuck Levi, it’s so hot when you talk like that,” I gasped.

He hummed, leaning down and kissing my jawline. He removed his hand from my and started to finally unbuckle my belt. “Well, I am a gay porn writer according to you.”

“Oh my god,” I groaned. “You aren’t going to let that go, are you? And I didn’t say porn, I said romance.”

Levi laughed darkly, pulling off my belt and started working on my zipper. “I’m better at writing porn,” he said nonchalantly as my pants were pushed down to my thighs.

I looked at him with both lust and curiosity as he sat up and yanked my pants down off of my legs. I was left in my underwear and half hard, but I was more interested in what he had just said than embarrassed. “You write porn?” I asked.

He smiled slyly, propping my legs up. He teased the hem of my boxers before sliding them down my legs just as he did my pants. I shivered as the cold air hit my hard cock, but kept my eyes trained on him. “Occasionally,” he answered.

I stopped my inquiries as he stood up from the couch and ran out of the room. I was about to get mad, but realized he had probably gone to get lube and condoms. My suspicions were confirmed when I saw him jogging down the stairs, both items in his hand. I decided to tease him a bit, sitting back on the couch and trailing my hand down my chest. I sighed as my fingers ghosted over my nipples, the already hardened buds sensitive to the touch. I watched Levi scramble to take his pants off, almost laughing until I saw he hadn’t been wearing anything underneath. His length was fully exposed and completely hard, making me shudder.

He climbed back between my legs where he belonged, running his hands over my legs and down my thighs. I continued to rub at my own chest, whining when I pinched one of my nipples with my fingers. If I had learned one thing about Levi, it was he loved to watch my play with myself before sex. It made him incredibly horny, and made me incredibly confident that I could do such a thing to the man. “You know why I started writing sex scenes?” Levi asked me, surprising me with a quick stroke to my now fully hard cock.

“N-no,” I rasped.

He continued to stroke me, and whispered so his breath ghosted over me ear. “I started because I couldn’t keep my mind away from you. Every minute you weren’t under me, panting my name, I imagined it.”

I outright moaned, bucking my hips into his hand. “You can’t just say shit like that,” I struggled to say, wrapping my arms around his neck. He reached over and grabbed the lube, coating his fingers in it.

“Why not? Doesn’t it turn you on?” he asked, teasingly running his slick fingers over my thighs. I squirmed, trying to get him to touch me where I really wanted it while he stared at me with an amused expression.

The answer was yes it did, but I didn’t want to just admit that. I felt his fingers come closer and closer to my entrance, but never touching it. I knew he was waiting for an answer, and he had much more patience than I did. “Fuck, of course it does,” I mumbled.

He smiled, please with my answer, and started to circle around my hole. I gasped, digging my nails into his back. He finally pushed in with his index finger, making me sigh in content. We had done this regularly enough so that it didn’t hurt much anymore, but Levi insisted he always prepare me. It took a while to convince him that I knew he would never hurt me, and I would have no problem telling him to stop if I wanted to. He slid his finger further in, slowing pumping in and out. “Another,” I said roughly.

“So demanding,” he murmured, complying with my request, sliding in another finger beside the first. “But I can’t blame you, you’re taking them so well, Eren.”

I made an embarrassing whining noise, biting my lower lip and moving my hips to meet his fingers. He pumped them faster, stretching them and preparing me for something better. It seemed as if he was purposely avoiding my prostate because I knew he had no trouble finding it before. I growled, gripping his back harder, hoping to spur him on. He noticed, chuckling and finally adding the third and last finger. I winced only slightly at the intrusion, but the pleasure at being filled was overpowering. “Is this enough?” he asked, thrusting them more roughly. “Or do you want something else?”

I was a panting mess beneath him. My cock was throbbing and leaking pre-cum and I could hear my heart beat in my ears. Levi wouldn’t actually make me say it, would he?  Wasn’t it clear enough that I needed his dick and needed it right away? I groaned when he suddenly struck that bundle of nerves inside of me, lighting up my veins with pleasure. I threw my head back, allowing him to kiss my neck as he worked his fingers inside me. “Come on, tell me what you need.”

“You,” I said in a tone that sounded nothing like my own voice. “Shit, I need you.”

He massaged my prostate mercilessly, now sucking on my neck as he did. I was completely gone, ready to give in to whatever Levi wanted as long as it meant getting him to hurry the fuck up. “Be specific,” he cooed in my ear, sucking at it lightly. I buried my face in the junction of his neck and whined as he curled his fingers once again.

“Fuck me,” I cried. “I need you inside of me, making me cum.” I was probably blushing brightly, but it didn’t matter to me. Levi’s movements stilled as he looked down at me with pure lust. I smirked slightly, knowing I had the desired effect. He took his fingers out of me and grabbed the condom, putting it on quickly. I watched with wide eyes as he coated his cock and lined it up at my waiting entrance.

“As you wish, _mon parfait Eren.”_

I moaned so loudly I was afraid his neighbors would hear when he pushed his pulsating cock inside of me with one quick thrust. I’d hardly ever heard him speak and French, but he had picked up on the fact that it was an instant turn on _._ “Hah! _Levi,”_ I wailed. He didn’t wait for me to adjust before he started slowly moving, but he knew I didn’t need time. My nails were leaving marks in his skin as he pulled out until only the tip was left in, then thrust back roughly. I couldn’t help the wanton noises leaving my mouth as I felt him fill me completely.

His pace picked up rapidly, thrusting in and out of me at an erratic pace. His face was blown with pleasure, making small moans and noises and he continued to pound into me. It didn’t matter how many times we did this, it kept getting better every time. It wasn’t just sex anymore, maybe it never really was, but we both realized it now.

A sudden thrust to my prostate torn me from my thoughts. My back ached impossible as he smirked above me, continuing to pound that spot. “Fuck! Yes, yes, shit,” I babbled. My vision was going white as the absolute pleasure raced through me. I knew I was close already, and Levi hadn’t even touched my cock.

“Going to cum for me?” Levi growled, picking up his pace. I tried to answer, but all that came out was moans of his name. He seemed to take that as an answer, leaning down and kissing me hard. I whined into his mouth, trying to meet his thrusts.

It was over for me almost immediately when he wrapped his hand around my neglected length. I cried out when he pumped me in time with his thrusts, my eyes almost watering. “Levi! I-I’m going to- “I was cut off as a wave of pleasure washed over me whole body. I came violently, probably drawing blood from Levi’s back because I gripped him so hard.

Levi’s eyes widened as he watched me, only giving two more thrusts into me groaned and buried himself inside of me. I felt him pulse inside me, and whined at the feeling. I was overstimulated, yet it still felt so good. He stilled above me, kissing my neck sweetly. He pulled out and tied off the condom, then went into the bathroom. I shook my head, knowing he was going to get stuff to clean up.

By the time he came back my eyes had closed, too relaxed to even notice him climbing back on the couch. I felt him run a wet cloth around my legs and thighs, humming as he did. Levi was always so good to me.

I opened my eyes and scooted over so Levi would have room to lay down with me. He didn’t hesitate to crawl up next to me and bury his face in my neck. He threw his arm around my waist and held tightly. “We’re going to have to burn this couch.”

“It was your idea to have sex here,” I mumbled sleepily. Damn, I still had work to get back to.

“I didn’t hear you protesting,” he replied.

We stayed like that for only a few minutes in silence. I had to get back to work, Levi had to write. We both knew it, but it wasn’t going well. “Eren?” Levi asked me, uncharacteristically quietly. I leaned back so I could see his face and my breath caught when I did. He was looking at me like he never had before. He obviously had something important to say, and from the look on his face, it almost scared me. I swallowed thickly.

“Yeah?” I asked just as quietly.

He kept looking at me, but never said anything. I could tell he wanted to, but something was holding him back. What could be so nerve wracking for him to say to me? I didn’t push him, only looked back at him and waited patiently. My heart was beating out of control, but I didn’t know why.

“Eren I was thinking…” he trailed off, looking down at my shoulder. My heart beat faster and faster. Was he breaking up with me? I wouldn’t think so, not after what just happened between us. No, whatever it was, it was something good. That much I could be sure of. Levi looked upset with himself, like he wanted to tell me whatever it was, but wasn’t ready. Or, he didn’t think it was the right time. I smiled.

“You aren’t breaking up with me, right? Or trying to tell me something I wouldn’t like?”

“No!” he almost shouted. “Of course not.”

I leaned down and placed a kiss on his lips softly. That was all I needed to hear. “Okay, then whatever it is, wait till you’re ready, alright?”

We weren’t perfect. But we were pretty damn close.

Going back to the office, I couldn’t keep the smile off of my face. I couldn’t be sure, but I had a good idea of what Levi was going to ask me. I’d been noticing things for a while; him asking me to keep clothes over at his apartment, buying me a spare toothbrush, those sort of things. If I was correct and he was going to ask me to move in, then I could wait a bit longer. I made my way back into the office, going straight for my desk. I was humming a tune offhandedly, completely unaware of the curious looks I was receiving from the others beside me.

“It took you pretty long for that delivery,” Oluo commented. I looked at him curiously. Oluo usually never even notices when I leave, let along how long it takes. I shrugged, flipping through the papers on my desk.

“Not really,” I said. That didn’t seem to deter him. He only narrowed his eyes at looked at me incredulously.

“I figured you’d be upset since it’s your last day working with H.S, but you’re practically chipper,” he said.

I stiffened slightly. Why now of all times did he start taking an interest in my life? Of course they didn’t suspect anything, but it was still uncomfortable that he was making inquiries. “He’s just an author. Petra’s probably better equipped to deal with him.” I felt a little bad saying that, but I knew Levi wouldn’t mind.

Oluo hummed, setting his computer aside and looking at me. “It didn’t seem like that when you went on vacation with him a few weeks ago,” he said smugly.

I froze. No one was supposed to know I went with H.S. Hanji assured me that everyone would think I just took some personal time with friends. How the hell did he find out? After I introduced Levi to everyone, they assumed I went to New York with him, not my author. Obviously I did go with him, but also with H.S, and fuck this is way too complicated. It was fine. There’s no way they could make the connection that Levi was H.S. But from the way they were looking at me, that wasn’t the connection they were trying to make. Ever since I started making deliveries for H.S, Oluo had repeatedly teased me about him. And if he assumed I liked him, finding out I went on New York wasn’t exactly helping my case.

“Wait, I thought you went with Levi?” Gunther added. Now everyone was looking at me. I swallowed thickly. Shit, how was I going to get myself out of this one?

“Let him be,” Eld said with a sigh. “Hanji sent him with H.S but couldn’t tell anyone since he’s so private. Right, Eren?”

Thank god for Eld. “Exactly, that’s all,” I said firmly. It was quiet for a while and I had naively thought I got myself out of the situation.

“Eren, is your shirt unbuttoned?”

I blinked and stared directly in front of me. I fucking knew letting Levi have his way with me wasn’t going to end well. With defeat, I looked down and noticed my shirt was indeed unbuttoned in two places towards the bottom. Not even Eld could help me out of this. He too was looking at me suspiciously. “I was in a rush this morning,” I said hurriedly before jumping out of my chair and rushing off to the bathroom to fix my shirt. Well, that wasn’t suspicious.

_Armin_

I groaned and threw my laptop across the couch, careful to let it land on the soft blankets. It had been quite some time since I wrote something that wasn’t completely horrible. It was partially because of Annie and I’s new relationship, but I wasn’t blaming her. Annie was the best thing to happen to me in a long time, but we were spending quite a lot of time with each other.

Eren was the other reason. Now, I was happy for him. Immensely, considering his last relationship ended so horribly. But his seemingly normal relationship was oddly complicated. He’d often avoid questions I asked, sometimes as simple as the title of one of his books. I wouldn’t read them, but I was curious on how successful he was. He had also completely stopped talking about H.S, which was odd because it used to be a pretty common topic for the both of us. I’d started to wonder what exactly he had been keeping from me so much it got me distracted. I knew Eren didn’t tell me everything, which was fine, but it was rare for him to do so. It worried me, I suppose.

My thoughts were interrupted when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and smiled when I saw it was Eren who texted me. He did have a strange habit of knowing when I was thinking about him. But I frowned as soon as I read the text

_Is this Eren’s blond friend from the Christmas party?_

Okay, so this wasn’t Eren. I furrowed my brows and replied.

_Yes, who is this and why do you have Eren’s phone?_

I waited only a minute for a reply.

_I’m Oluo- I work with Eren. I think we have a problem._

I’d heard the name before, mostly Eren complaining about him, which made me even more suspicious. But I had thought Eren was keeping something from me…

_What sort of problem?_

I waited and waited, and finally got a text. My eyes widened when I read it. I couldn’t believe something like this over a text from someone I didn’t even know, but I was still shocked.

_Eren’s cheating on Levi._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't stop writing smut, but at least it's plot essential this time? And I actually a cliffhanger, so there's that. Thanks for all the continued support!


	16. Third Time's the Charm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang's plan to prove Eren has been cheating starts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is pure absurdity. I had a desire to write the squad being idiots together, so here it is.

Something felt off. Like that feeling where everyone knows something you don’t. It had been a pretty typical week until I walked in today. It been a week since I stopped delivering for Levi, and today was Petra’s first day back. She looked wonderful despite caring for a newborn for three months. It was also scheduled for her to go to Levi’s apartment to pick up his work. I was a little jealous, but I knew it was her job in the first place.

But as soon as I walked in, I felt all eyes on me. Well, Eld’s, Oluo’s, and Gunther’s. I handed them their coffees, but they all seemed almost nervous about something. At first I thought it was Hanji’s doing, but after giving them their coffee, I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. So whatever it was, it obviously had to do with me and only me. I tried to ignore them, but it was a little too strange not to be bothered by it.

Around 1:00, it was the time I would normally deliver to Levi. I saw Petra get up to leave and sighed to myself. I couldn’t stop the disappointment of not seeing him today, even if I knew it was stupid. But before she could leave, her phone rang.

“Hello?” she answered. Her face scrunched in confusion as she listened to whoever was on the phone. “Yes I represent her. No, I haven’t, is something wrong?” A pause, then she sighed loudly, nodding her head. “I understand. I’ll be there soon.” She hung up her phone and started walking over to me.

“That was a friend of one of my authors,” she explained, standing in front of me. “Apparently she’s gone into some existential crisis and is refusing to write anything or do anything until I speak to her. I figure I should go over there soon.”

I nodded, understanding how some authors could get like that at times. “I understand. Good luck,” I said with a smile.

She smiled back, then handed the folder in her hands to me. I looked at her in confusion before realizing what this meant. “You want me to take this to H.S.?” I asked, just to be sure.

“Please. He obviously trusts you.” She winked at me, but luckily no one could see from there.

I tried not to show how utterly happy I was, but I think I did smile a little. It was only one last time, but I’d be able to sneak away and see Levi again. But this time, I’d make sure we would only see each other with clothes on. I took the folder and nodded. Petra thanked me before she hurriedly left, leaving me along with the three men who hadn’t stopped watching our interaction.

“I can email H.S and let him know you’re coming instead,” Eld offered.

“Nah, I can just text him,” I said, pulling out my phone. I wouldn’t really text him; instead, I would let it be a surprise.

“You have his number?” Gunther asked accusatorily.

I rolled my eyes and pocketed my phone after pretending to send Levi a quick text with the change of plans. “How else would I schedule times to meet?”

“Right,” Gunther mumbled back. I tried to shrug off their odd behavior, but something was definitely going on. I got up and grabbed my keys, ready to get out of this weird environment for a little while.

\---

_Armin- ten minutes ago_

“I can’t believe I’m about to do this,” I mumbled to myself. Sure, I’d done some pretty stupid stuff with Eren, but this took the cake. After talking with Oluo about Eren, I couldn’t help but be a little suspicious. Did I think he was cheating on Levi? No, of course not. But was something going on? Definitely. So with the help of the other editors, I came up with a plan, which was apparently why Oluo even texted me in the first place. A plan that incredibly stupid, but it might just work.

I sat in my car in the parking lot of Wings of Freedom, equipped with a brilliant disguise of sunglasses and a hat. I sighed to myself for the hundredth time. Not only had I gone behind Eren’s back, I also had to do some research into Petra. Overall, not my finest moment. But, it was for Eren’s benefit. It was something very Mikasa-esque, but it was happening with or without me, so I agreed.

I pulled out my phone, dialing the number Oluo had given me. I waited a few minutes, then she picked up.

“Hello?”

I cleared my throat, reminding myself this was for Eren. “Yes, is this Petra Ral, Aimee Clark’s editor?” Aimee Clark was a friend of mine, one that I talked to this morning. I told her she would need to distract Petra for an hour or so, and she hesitantly agreed after I explained the situation.

“Yes, I represent her,” Petra replied.

“I’m Ar-Aaron, a friend of Aimee’s. Have you seen her today?” I rolled my eyes at my own mistake. Well, I already almost screwed this up.

“No, I haven’t, is something wrong?”

I sighed into the phone. “No, not really. Well, she’s just having some trouble with her work, you know the usual ‘I’m questioning everything I’ve ever done’ thing. I think she needs you right now.”

Petra hummed into the phone and took almost no time at all to respond. “I understand. I’ll be there soon.” I admired the way Petra truly seemed to care about her authors, making me feel all the more guilty. This is for Eren, dammit!

I thanked her and hung up, scooting back down in my seat. I pulled up Oluo and I’s messages and waited for his text. A few minutes later I saw Petra walk out to her car and drive off. Good, this was going well so far. Eren was the last piece. Not five minutes later I saw him come out, a smile plastered on his face. I really, really hoped I was right and he wasn’t doing something like cheating.

My phone buzzed in my hand, causing me to jump.

_Mission is a go. Text when he’s left._

I slumped in my seat even more when Eren walked to his car, waiting for him to leave. He put the folder into his passenger seat, then climbed into the driver seat and starting his car. A second after he pulled out, I texted Oluo.

_Now!_

Two minutes later, all three editors came scrambling out the front door. They all ran toward my car and hastily got in. I had watched where Eren went and already had a pretty good idea of where he was headed.

“Go, go go!” Gunther yelled.

“Calm down,” I mumbled.

\---

_Eren_

I drove to Levi’s apartment, the strange feeling from the office following me as I did. What was going on with me today? I shook my head and continued to drive. Hopefully Levi could make me feel better.

I parked my car and grabbed the folder like I had so many times before. I went up and entered the code, walking in as the door opened. I thought I heard something behind me, but when I turned and looked, no one was there. I hummed lightly as I walked in to the elevator. Pushing Levi’s floor’s button, I waited as I went up.

I eventually made it to his door and knocked. “Go away, Petra,” Levi grumbled.

“It’s me!” I called out animatedly. I opened the door and walked in, smiling as I saw Levi walking over to me from the kitchen.

“Surprise,” I said, setting the folder on the table beside me.

He smirked at me and continued walking over until he was only a few inches from me. “A good one,” he said lowly. Shit. I knew where this was going, and if what happened last time was an indicator, this is was bad idea.

He walked forward even more, his chest almost brushing mine. I swallowed thickly as his hand brushed over my arm lightly, tracing the skin there. “Levi, we can’t,” I said.

“We aren’t doing anything,” he said innocently. His lips were so close to mine I could feel his breath over my own. My eyes were glued to his, already blown with lust. “I’m just enjoying my extremely attractive boyfriend.”

His other hand traced over my neck, sending a shiver through me. Somehow, my back had hit the wall as he took my apart with only light touches. I licked my lips, knowing there was only one way that this was going to end. “My coworkers suspect something,” I tried.

He chuckled darkly, grabbing my hip with his hand while running his other through my hair. Our bodies were flush against one another, and I was starting to feel the effect of having him so close. “They suspect you’re fucking your boyfriend?”

I huffed, both happy and annoyed when he started trailing his hand underneath my shirt. “They don’t know you’re my boyfriend. It’s complicated.”

He moved so his lips were only centimeters from mine. “Then let’s make it less complicated.” Our lips touched, and I knew I was fucked.

\---

_Armin_ – five minutes earlier

We drove so fast I was afraid I was going to get a felony if I was pulled over. Oluo was constantly yelling in my ear, talking so fast he bit his tongue three times. Eren drove recklessly as usual, but we managed to keep him in sight for the most part. Eld sat up front with me, actually giving me driving advice instead of yelling nonsensically.

“He’s pulling in somewhere,” Eld said, pointing. I nodded. He was headed where I thought he was; the apartment complex Eren and I had stupidly went to look at when we were first looking for somewhere to live. H.S was definitely successful. Part of me was buzzing with excitement with just being able to being be around him. I had looked up to him for since I first read his book. Of course I didn’t want to actually meet him considering his tendency for privacy. I just had to find out if Eren was involved with him is all.

“Park far away from him,” Gunther said from the back seat.

I nodded, pulling in and parking far enough from him so he wouldn’t see us. “Shit,” I said as he got out of his car.

“What?” Eld asked.

“I just remembered, you need a passcode to get it,” I said nervously.

“I got it,” Gunther said, opening his door and running out. We all watched in interest as Gunther ran behind Eren.

“He’s going to get caught,” Eld said anxiously.

“We’ll see,” I mumbled.

Somehow, Gunther managed to hide behind another car, but seemed to be in a position where he could still see the key pad. Eren turned around and Gunther quickly hid, narrowly avoiding being seen by him. Everyone in the car was holding their breath. Once Eren was inside, Gunther motioned for us to get out and join him. We all exited quickly, running up to the front of the building. Eren got into the elevator, and once the door closed, I turned to Gunther.

“Did you get it?” I asked.

He smiled smugly and walked up to the keypad, punching in four numbers. A buzzing sound was heard and the door opened. “Of course I did,” he said proudly.

Oluo rolled his eyes as we all entered the lobby of the building. We all went up to the elevator and paused. I looked up and watched the numbers above the elevator light up periodically. When the elevator with Eren stopped, I knew what floor he was on. I hit the up button and waited until the doors opened. We climbed into the small elevator.

“So what exactly are we expecting to do here?” Eld asked.

“Catch him in the act, obviously,” Oluo answered.

“We can’t,” I retorted. “None of us can actually see H.S. That would reveal his identity. We can listen, but that’s about it.”

They all grumbled their agreement. The doors of the elevator started opening, and we all stepped out cautiously. I peeked my head out and saw no sigh of Eren. It might be difficult to find out which apartment was his, but Eren was normally... _loud._

“Okay, we gotta find out which door is his,” I said.

Eld nodded, starting with the first door in front of us. We each took a door, listening to what was behind each. I couldn’t hear much from mine. This was honestly getting creepier and creepier by the minute, but I didn’t have time to dwell on that.

“Got something!” Eld whispered. We all sprinted over, getting a place at the door. I could distinctly hear a muffled version of Eren’s voice, surprisingly close to the door. It was very quiet, so I couldn’t make out any of the words. Another, deeper voice was also there. It sounded oddly familiar, but I couldn’t place it.

“That’s him, I can’t hear it though,” Oluo whispered.

“Just be quiet,” Eld said back.

We continued to hear muffled talking for a few more minutes, then it got quiet. I thought I heard something hit the door, causing all of us to flinch slightly.

Then, I heard something I really, really wish I hadn’t of.

\---

_Eren_

“Fuck!” I moaned. Somehow, we ended up exactly the same as we had before. I was shaking, propped up on all fours of Levi’s couch. He prodded my entrance with skilled fingers, curling them against my prostate each time.  I was shaking, struggling to keep myself from collapsing onto the couch. His other hand came around to grab my cock, and I cried out loudly.

\---

_Armin_

We all stood, incredibly uncomfortable and embarrassed. I never thought Eren would be cheating on him, but the proof was undeniable. Whoever this “H.S” was, he was definitely involved with Eren. None of us were listening anymore, pretty much certain we didn’t need to hear anything else.

“I can’t believe it,” Eld mumbled.

“What do we do?” Gunther asked.

None of us said anything, only looking at one another nervously. It was Eren’s life; we couldn’t tell Levi. But we could definitely confront Eren once we were back to work. I couldn’t just accept the fact that Eren was cheating, though. He was too loyal to Levi; there had to be more to the story we didn’t know yet.

“This is bullshit,” Oluo said, breaking the silence. “Why aren’t we doing something?”

I sighed deeply. “Like what? Going in there and catching Eren while he’s having sex?” I asked sarcastically.

They all looked at each other. My eyes widened as I realized they were actually considering doing just that. “No no no- we talked about this!” I hissed at them.

“Yeah but Armin, that was before we actually knew,” Eld said with a shrug. “If this ‘H.S’ wants his identity kept a secret, maybe he shouldn’t fuck other people’s boyfriends.”

I opened my mouth to retort, but stopped. In a way, I did want to expose him. My hero, who I had looked up to for years, was nothing more than a home wrecker. It was unusually disappointing to me. And that small part of me still screamed to find out who he was. I knew it was wrong, but so was what was going on behind that door. “I…I can’t be a part of this, but I won’t stop you,” I mumbled. That was basically a yes, but I couldn’t just outright say that.

Oluo grinned. Gunther looked like he was about to start a siege. Eld simply nodded.

The door opened.

\---

_Eren_

“Oh god, I’m close,” I whined as Levi brutally thrust three fingers into me.

“Come on Eren, cum for me.”

Levi’s hand brushed over my cock, and I was so, so close. Fire spread through my abdomen and my whole body. I arched my back, just about to be released into ecstasy, when I heard the single worst sound I had ever heard in my entire life. The door opening.

“I knew you were-!”

Levi hastily pulled out of me and threw the blanket that he kept draped over the couch on top of us both. My body was so filled with adrenaline that at first, I didn’t even recognize who all had walked into the door. But as I looked closer, my mouth dropped open and my eyes widened.

“ _Oluo?! Armin?!”_ I screamed.

“ _Levi?!”_ All three of my editors, and Armin fucking Arlert replied, just as loud.

“What the fuck is going on here?” Levi growled, silencing the entire room. “ _Why_ the fuck are you here, _how_ the fuck did you get it, and _why_ the fuck are you still here?” he commanded.

All of them simply blinked at us. Levi was downright terrifying when he wanted to be. I had literally no idea what was happening anymore. Why would all of them follow me here? Did they set all of this up? Petra getting called out of the office couldn’t have been just a coincidence. But that was a lot of trouble just to catch me having sex with-

_H.S._

Not Levi.

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. All attention was on me now as I realized their true intentions of following me. “You guys are fucking idiots!” I yelled. Not only was my best friend and three other friends convinced I was cheating on my boyfriend, they were about to cause Levi to reveal his identity. There was just no way around it. This was obviously H. S’s home, and Levi was the resident. My heart sank as I realized I caused this. If I was more careful about concealing my feelings, then this would have never happened.

“What?” Levi asked, staring at me with confusion.

I fisted my hand in my hair, completely fed up with getting caught having sex with Levi for incredibly stupid reasons. You’d think we’d learn to lock the door. “They thought I was cheating on you, with you,” I said flatly.

He stared at me blankly. “Cheating on me?” he mumbled quietly. He was looking at me cautiously.

“Yes, with…with _H.S,”_ I said back in a defeated tone. I had done so well with leaving his true identity concealed, and now it was all ruined. Armin and the three editors had surely connected the dots by now, but were too afraid to speak. I would be to if Levi’s anger was directed at me.

Levi eyed me carefully for a minute before I saw the realization sink in. He clenched his jaw and nodded in understanding. “You fucking idiots,” he repeated, looking back at them. Even completely naked, covered in only a thin blanket while I clung to his side, I could feel the sheer animosity of his words. All four of the men stiffed, staring wide eyed at him.

“What sheer amount of stupidity drove you all to think Eren was cheating? And if you did, how about fucking asking him instead of _breaking into my apartment?”_ He asked.

“Wait, I’m confused,” Oluo said, voice shaking. “Why is Levi in H. S’s apartment?”

I groaned and threw my hands up in the air. Levi blinked at him, then looked back at me, an exhausted expression on his face. Did they seriously not get it yet? “You complete and utter shit, _I’m_ H.S. Congratulations, you caught Eren fucking his boyfriend.”

“That’s why Eren was always so closed mouthed about you…” Armin mumbled, looking completely ashamed. I was probably the angriest at him. He was supposed to be my best friend, yet he didn’t trust me to be faithful to the man I’m involved with. Sure I’d expect this from Mikasa, but not from him.

I scoffed and shook my head. “Seriously Armin, you couldn’t just talk to me about this?”

His big blue eyes were filled with regret, and I couldn’t help but feel a little bad for him. Damn, I felt bad for Annie. In honesty, I knew I wouldn’t be mad at him for long. Sure he had some things to discuss, but Mikasa had done way worse than this and I’d forgiven her.

“I’m really sorry, Eren. I should have just asked you to be straight with me,” he said back slowly.

Levi sighed deeply, sitting back against the couch. He was hiding it well, but I knew he was silently filled with anxiety. He hated when people knew who he was, especially if they were in the writing business. I was filled with worry over him, yet I couldn’t express it now. “I think Eren and I need to get dressed, then we all need to have a little discussion,” he said coolly.

“I think that would be best,” Eld said, scratching the back of his neck.

Levi scoffed. “At least someone has some sense,” he muttered under his breath. Levi and I awkwardly got up from the couch, trying to conceal our still completely naked bodies. The men were at least smart enough to turn and let us leave without getting an eye full. Well, it wasn’t like they hadn’t gotten one a few minutes before. I decided to scratch exhibitionism off my list of kinks.

As soon as I was back in Levi’s bedroom, I grabbed his hand and pulled him into a tight hug. I needed him to know how bad I felt about this whole thing. I just didn’t want him to be angry at me. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered into his hair. “They know now and it was my fault- “

“Eren” he said sternly. “It’s alright. This wasn’t your fault.”

I knew he never lied to me. I sighed deeply, squeezing him even tighter. I couldn’t imagine how much he was freaking out right now. After years of only two or three people knowing such a big secret, four more people just suddenly found out. “Are you mad at me?” I asked sheepishly.

I felt him smack my head lightly. I frowned and lifted my head, eyes widening when I saw his expression. He didn’t look angry at me at all; he was smiling slightly. It was a simple, yet beautiful smile that took my breath away. “No, I’m not mad.”

“H-how are you not?” I said in disbelief. “You seemed pretty pissed a minute ago,” I mumbled.

He chuckled lightly. “I was, but at them. To be completely honest, that was the single most fucked up yet hilarious thing that’s ever happened to me.”

A smile crept onto my face. We really did have the absolute worst luck, but I couldn’t deny the situation was actually sort of funny. I mean they legitimately thought I was cheating on Levi with his alter ego. I couldn’t stop the small laugh that came out of my mouth. I continued laughing, unable to stop it now. Levi started as well, and before we knew it, we were both laughing heartily. I still clung to him, feeling the movement of his chest along with his deep laughter.

“H-how does this keep happening to us?” I asked in between laughs.

Levi shook his head against my chest and shrugged. “We need a new system, that’s for sure. It be easier if…” he trailed off, shaking his head again. “Never mind.”

I loosened my arms so I could face him, moving back slightly. “Easier if what?” I asked with interest. I was silently begging him to let me know. This had to be the same thing be brought up a few days ago, and I was definitely ready to say yes if it was what I presumed it to be.

He averted his eyes, his lips stuck in a thin line. “This is the wrong time to do this,” he mumbled. “Just forget it for now.”

I pouted, grabbing his chin with my hand and tilting his face so he’d look at me. I wasn’t trying to push him, but there had been quite a few times he acted as if he wanted to ask me something, but would change the subject later. I figured a push wouldn’t hurt. “Oh, come on. Make them wait,” I said with a smirk.

He rolled his eyes, but he looked more nervous than annoyed at me. I’d never get used to seeing Levi Ackerman nervous about anything. “Eren,” he started, clearing his throat and finally making eye contact. “I’ve been wanting to ask you this since we got back from New York but I figured it be too soon and I’d freak you out, then I waited like a month and it still didn’t seem right but then I almost said something to you- “he stopped his rambling, sighing and looking back at me.  “Fuck it. Want to move in with me?”

A shocked smile broke out on my face as soon as the words left him. I’d been dreaming about living with Levi just as long as he had, but I never thought he would be the one asking me. I loved living with Armin, but I knew we couldn’t go on as roommates forever. And after today, maybe we both needed some space. Not that I was all that angry at him, but we did tend to cross boundaries with one another.

I realized I had left Levi waiting. He was still staring at me expectedly. I wrapped my arms around him once again, leaning down and capturing his lips in a warm kiss. “Of course,” I whispered over his lips as I kept kissing him, over and over. He started laughing, pushing me away with a strong arm.

“Thank god,” he murmured.

“You really thought I’d say no?”

His expression told me all I needed. He really had to question whether I would want to live with him. Here’s a man who am I completely and utterly infatuated with, yet he was still nervous I wouldn’t want to spend more time around him. I gave him one last passionate kiss, trying to let him know how exactly I felt about him without using words. “Now,” I said, almost panting, “we should probably make sure the guys keep everything they found out today secret.”

He groaned, but nodded. “I have to pretend to be angry now,” he said with a pout.

“Isn’t that like, your default setting?”

“Shut up,” he said, smacking my ass before walking past me to the door. I smiled and followed behind him. Those four down there were lucky Levi just made me incredibly happy by asking me to move in, because otherwise, I would probably be a lot more upset.

We got dressed and walked back down the stairs into the living room. Armin was sitting on the chair across from the couch while the three editors sat close to one another on the couch. Considering what Levi and I were just doing there, and considering they witnessed it, I was surprised they even gathered the courage to sit. They all turned their heads once they heard us walking down. Even though all of them thought I was nothing more than a cheating bastard, I couldn’t even find it to be angry. It meant that they cared about Levi and I’s relationship. They’re way of showing it was strange as fuck, but so are they.

Eld was the first to speak, clearing his throat. “Look, we all discussed it and realized how messed up this really was. It wasn’t our place to interfere. We’d all like to apologize to the both of you. Levi, we also want you to know your secret is safe with us,” he added. All four of them were nodding solemnly in agreement.

I looked over at Levi and tried to gauge his reaction. He was glaring at them per the usual, but Eld seemed to put him at ease a little. “No one, and I mean no one finds out about this. Any of this. I swear to fucking hell, if Hanji finds out one detail, I’m going to murder all of you.” I almost laughed, but realized he might be telling the truth.

“No one finds out,” Gunther said, nodding fiercely.

“Then…” Levi looked around at each one of them. “I guess we’re good here.”

You could visibly see all of them relax, except for Armin. I think once he got over the initial shock, he realized his favorite author was standing only a few feet from him and happened to be dating his best friend. He’d be awkward around Levi for a while after this, and not because he walked in on him and I having sex.

“Right then,” I said, clapping my hands. “You guys should probably tell Hanji I’m not coming in for the rest of the day.” The last thing I wanted or needed was to spend the rest of the day around the editors. It wouldn’t be all that weird after a while, but I’d seen quite enough of them today.

“Will do,” Eld said, standing up. “We’ll just get back to the office.”

Everyone got up then, standing awkwardly in the middle of the room. I almost laughed because it was just so ridiculous. “Sorry again,” Oluo mumbled weakly before walking to the door.

Armin stayed behind as the others walked out, fidgeting where he stood. “I should probably apologize again,” he said weakly. I sighed, walking over to him. I didn’t give him a chance to protest before I was grabbing him and pulling him into a hug. He made a surprised noise, but eventually returned the embrace.

“I’m not mad, Armin,” I said. “Well okay I am, but it isn’t going to mess up anything between us. I do have something to tell you later, though.”

Armin smiled softly and nodded. “Alright. I’ll see you at home tonight?”

“Yeah, see you tonight.”

He turned towards Levi then, and I swear he was redder than me when I got caught by Mikasa. I covered my mouth with my hand to avoid laughing at him outright.

“Um s-sorry once again, Levi!” he said unnecessarily loudly. Levi merely raised an eyebrow at him, nodding as an acceptance of his apology. Armin left quickly after that, shutting the door firmly behind him.

“What the hell was that?” he asked.

“Oh, you mean Armin?” I said with a smile. “That’s his hero boner showing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed a little fun moment to prepare for next chapter because it gets deep.   
> Only two left, that's a little sad. I'm so happy with everyone who has continued to read and given me amazing comments.


	17. Moving on Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi realizes what’s been holding him back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A couple things that are important- There is a time skip. It’s pretty clear, but I just wanted to point it out here. And the beginning is a flashback/dream. Next; Please take a look at the tags for this chapter. It includes bottom Levi, and I know some people are particular about that sort of thing. So, if it isn’t your thing, skip the smut. It’s pretty obvious where it starts. This chapter is pretty emotional and I just thought it would fit in here.

_“That one looks like a shark,” Isabel said, swinging her feet off of the roof._

_“It does not,” Farlan scoffed from the other side of me. “It’s a dolphin.”_

_Isabel sat up and looked at Farlan blankly. “They’re practically the same shape.”_

_“Practically, not technically,” he said back with a small smile._

_“What do you think, Levi?” she asked me._

_I sighed loudly, shaking my head. I should have never taught them this game. You’d think at seventeen they’d both be over it, but maybe not. “I think you two are idiots,” I said with a small laugh._

_“He’s just jealous, Izzy,” Farlan said, ruffling my hair. I shrugged off his hand, shoving it back at him. He laughed, sitting up and looking down at Isabel and I._

_“What do I have to be jealous of?” I asked._

_” Well, the fact that Isabel and I have much more fun than you do, obviously.” Isabel giggled beside me, apparently agreeing with him. I scoffed, closing my eyes and crossing my arms over my chest._

_“Yeah because running around in filth is so much fucking fun,” I mumbled._

_I heard Isabel sigh beside me, the same sigh she always gave me when I was being too cynical. “Oh come on, big bro. Think of all the good we have!”_

_I groaned, knowing what was coming. It was something Isabel always did when I got down; list off everything she believed made us luckier than most people. “We have this roof,” she said, pointing out towards the sky. “And the clouds to keep us occupied. And the alley cats who always come up to us for food!” she chirped._

_“And each other,” Farlan added, nudging my side. I nudged him back, but with much more force._

_“Yes, each other,” Isabel said warmly. “And when Farlan and I get married, you can live with us, Levi.”_

_I opened my eyes just to see Farlan’s reaction. He blushed brightly, smiling and looking at her fondly. “Christ, you guys are disgusting.”_

_Isabel laughed beside me. “Just wait until you fall in love, Levi,” she said dreamily._

_“Imagine who’d Levi would fall for,” Farlan said, eyes lighting up with intrigue._

_“He’d have to be handsome,” Isabel emphasized. “I mean, Levi barely looks at anyone, so he’d have to be really, really handsome.”_

_“Yeah, but he’d have to be damn near as stubborn as Levi to get along with him,” Farlan added._

_“Loud, and passionate!” Isabel proclaimed._

_“And taller than him!” Farlan said, barely containing his laughter._

_“But most importantly, he’d have to accept you for you,” Isabel said softly. “That’s who you’ll fall in love with, big bro.” She seemed almost sad for a minute, then gave a small smile. “And when you meet him, you’ll know. You’ll know because you won’t need us as much anymore.”_

I shot out of bed, heart racing so fast it felt like it was about to jump out of my skin. I blinked my eyes and rapidly scanned my surroundings. I was home. I was at my apartment. The dream was just that; a dream. Farlan and Isabel were still gone, and I was still here. I felt the burn behind my eyes, and I already knew I had started crying. It wasn’t even a nightmare like I was used to, yet it still made me remember. I slumped forward and buried my face in my hands, letting the tears fall silently. It was the first time since I started living with Eren that I had dreamt about them.

A noise from beside me made me sit up rapidly. I looked over and saw Eren’s peacefully sleeping form, completely unaware anything was wrong. I wiped my eyes and sniffed pathetically. I had forgotten he was even here.

It had been three months since we started living together, and almost five since we started seeing each other. Living with Eren was better than I could have expected it to be. Sure he had his annoying habits, but it was an enormous comfort to know he was here. At first, I kept waiting for something to go wrong. Maybe he’d get tired of me and decide he was done or maybe I’d slip and say something over the line, but nothing had happened. We argued and fought, but we never went to bed angry at one another at the end of the night.

I’d finished the book I’d been working on. Eren got promoted to a better paying position. Erwin’s daughter said her first word, and thanks to me, it sounded suspiciously like “eyebrows.” Everything was going well, but I still hadn’t fully let myself believe it. I had this idea that if I let my guard down, everything would just go to shit. It wasn’t fair to Eren, or to anyone. But he’s been so patient with me. He never pushed it, never even acted like he wanted more out of me. The thing was, I knew I needed to give him more.

My mind went back to the dream. It wasn’t anything new; I dreamt about those two all the time. But this time it was different. It wasn’t just a dream- it was a memory. I remember that day clearly. The conversation that happened in my dream was almost identical to a real one we had. Isabel had asked to go up on the roof because she wanted to cloud watch. I denied her first, but when Farlan agreed he would like to as well, there was no denying the both of them.

Handsome.

Loud

Passionate

Tall

Accepting

_Eren_

Those are the words they used when they thought of who I would fall in love with. The two people I trusted most in the world had basically given me their approval of Eren before they had even met him. I struggled to breath, the realization sinking in. I hadn’t dreamt about Isabel and Farlan because Eren had made me so happy, I could block out the bad for a while. And when I did dream of them, it was only good.

I twisted around so I was facing Eren. I needed to tell him. He had to know. If I didn’t tell him, it wouldn’t be real. I needed some reassurance that this whole time hadn’t just been some fucked up lucid dream. With tears still gathered in my eyes, I placed my hand on his bare shoulder. He was warm, just like he normally was.

“Eren,” I called out, sounding desperate. “I need you to wake up.” I had no idea what time it was, but I couldn’t bring myself to care.

His face scrunched up, but he didn’t wake. I knew I would lose my nerve if I didn’t do this now. I shook his shoulder lightly, crawling up so I was closer to him. “Please Eren,” I said.

A grumbling noise was heard before his eyes started to blink open, adjusting to the dark of the room. I waited patiently, running my hand up and down his exposed arm.

“Mm, Levi?” he asked groggily.

His voice was like velvet to my ears, even in the state he was in. He was _real. And here._ I had to choke back another sob so he couldn’t hear, burying my face in his neck. I wrapped my arms around him tightly, leaving no space for him to maneuver.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, all of a sudden much more coherent. The obvious seriousness of the room must have woken him up.

“Nothing,” I said honestly. “Nothing’s wrong. You’re perfect, Eren,” I whispered.

He pulled back, and even in the dark, I could read the confusion on his face. Fuck, it wasn’t my fault ten years of emotions decided to pile up in one night. All I knew was that I needed him close, needed him to hear me.

“What’s going on?” he asked, tracing his hand over my cheek. He stopped when he felt wetness, looking at me with wide, frantic eyes. He was scared, and just because of me. He cared. And maybe, he even loved.

“I had a dream,” I said.

“Nightmare?” he continued to wipe my face clean, then pushing my hair out of my face.

I shook my head. “No. Good dream.”

His face was still confused, but he seemed to realize I was alright. Well, sort of. He chuckled quietly, voice still gruff with sleep. “Tears of joy?” he asked. His previous look of terror was replaced with something lighter.

“Not quite,” I said. “Understanding, maybe.”

He hummed, drawing me closer. With no protest, I ducked my head back in his neck and sighed. If he thought I was doing what I normally did when it came to emotional shit, he was wrong. This time, I’d do it right. I’d give Eren the confession he deserved. I was going to tell him, and the thought didn’t scare me as much as it used to.

“Eren,” I said quietly, next to his ear. I took a deep breath when he didn’t answer, waiting for me to continue. I smiled before I finally admitted what I had tried to deny for so long.

“I’m afraid to lose you, and I’ll always be, but I can’t let that get in the way anymore.” My voice was beginning to waver, but I continued on. “You’re annoying as fuck and you can’t sit still. Your hair is absolutely ridiculous. You’re sinfully attractive and you don’t even realize it. But everything about you is perfect. Because- because you’re just _you.”_  I sat back so I could look into his eyes which were wide, filled with emotion. They looked almost blue in this light. He stayed quiet, letting me continue.

“I just had a dream. I dreamt about Isabel and Farlan- a conversation we had one day. They told me I’d fall in love with someone who was loud and tall and all these fucking things you are, Eren. And…and Isabel and Farlan weren’t ever wrong about me.” I cupped his face with my hands, looking at him desperately. He was in shock, too absorbed in what I was saying to even try to say anything himself. I let my forehead hit his, and finally let go of my past.

“I love you, Eren.”

I heard his breath hitch in the silence of the room. I don’t think he ever expected me to say those words first. My heart started to beat faster when he didn’t immediately say anything, but I began to relax when I saw the downright blinding smile that appeared on his face.

“Levi,” he whispered, voice heavy with emotion, “I…I love you too. Like, since the second week of knowing you.”

I couldn’t explain what it felt like to hear him say that. It was as if a weight was lifted from me; knowing he loved me back. I don’t know who moved first, but our lips connected. It wasn’t like any of the times we had before. It was a clumsy, passionate, and desperate kiss. It was like the first time all over again. His hands wrapped around me so securely I felt safe from anything any everything. I don’t know how long it lasted, but when we pulled apart, I noticed his eyes were now glistening with unshed tears.

“Why are you crying?” I asked, running my hands through his hair.

“B-because you were,” he mumbled. “And I never thought we would get here. I mean we’ve been living together for like three months but we hadn’t even said I love you.”

I laughed breathlessly. If someone would have told me I’d end up falling for a twenty-two-year-old who was completely out of my league, I would have laughed. “Neither did I. But I’m glad.”

He smiled widely, wiping his eyes. “Yeah. Me too.”

Neither of us moved for a while. We simply looked at one another, absorbing everything that had happened. It was probably two o clock in the fucking morning, and here we were, wide awake like complete idiots. But, there was one last thing I wanted to do. One last thing I needed to give Eren.

“Are you tired?” I asked him.

He laughed into his pillow before answering. “It’s the middle of the night, but no. I don’t think I can sleep anymore.”

“Good.” I slipped the covers off of us, sitting up. I straddled his hips slowly, staring at his surprised expression. We were both shirtless and only in our underwear. I grinned once I was seated on top of his hips, grinding myself over him. He let out a loud sign, tilting his head back. I leaned down and kissed his neck sensually, tasting his perfect skin. His hands gripped my hips as I continued to move on top of him, feeling his growing erection coming to life. He moved his head so he could capture my lips, and I lost myself. I pushed against him ravenously, letting his tongue invade my mouth. He bucked his hips up, letting our clothed erections brush against one another.

I moaned into the kiss. I felt his fingers hook into the hem of my boxers as he practically ripped them off of me. I lifted my hips, allowing him to completely remove them. I wasn’t sure if he knew what I was planning. We’d never tried it before, so I was guessing no. I smirked, pulling down his tight boxer briefs. I slipped them down his thighs and threw them, leaving us both bare.

I leaned over to the dresser and opened it, grabbing the lube and condoms. I tossed them on the side of the bed, then looked down at Eren. In truth, I didn’t know how to voice what I wanted from him. It wasn’t something I normally did, and very rarely enjoyed. But I knew with Eren it would be different.

“Levi?” Eren asked, noting my uncertainty. “Is something wrong?”

I paused, swallowing thickly. Night after night, Eren would give himself to me. Without shame and with much enthusiasm. He’d let himself go, let me see his most basic parts. So, the least I could do is give him the same option.

I decided words weren’t coming anytime soon, and quite frankly I’d used up most of them in that confession, so I decided to show him. I took one of his wrists in my hand, bringing it up to my mouth. Slowly, I ran my tongue over his index finger, loving the way his breath hitched. I took his finger into my mouth, running my tongue all over it, looking at him the entire time. Then, I used my hold on his wrist and brought it over my entrance, watching as his eyes lit up with understanding.

He stilled under me. His jaw hardened as he stared at me like he was about to devour me. He’d told me before that he was normally a top, but with me, he enjoyed bottoming. But from the intensity of his green eyes now almost completely black from lust, I could tell he’d been waiting for this.

“Are you sure?” he asked huskily.

I leaned down until our faces were pressed together. I kissed him once, hard and pull of lust, then looked back down at him. “Show me what you’ve got.”

Without warning, I felt the breath leave my lungs as I was flipped over on my back. My head hit the soft pillows, and I was greeted by the downright sinful sight of Eren above me, his arms braced on either side of my head. He attacked my mouth with his, biting and nipping his way into my mouth. His teeth tugged at my lower lip, granting him a low moan from me. My cock was already hard and throbbing, ready for him to fucking take me. He detached himself from my lips, moving his way downward. He sucked at my neck, smoothing over the bites with his tongue afterwards. I was sure I would be covered in marks in the morning, but I didn’t mind. Let everyone see I belonged with Eren.

His teeth scrapped over my collar bones as he locked his eyes with me. They were predatory and gleaming, making my cock twitch. My fingers were bunched up in the sheets beside me, struggling not to buck up into him. I thought he would just get straight to it after my little show, but I was wrong. He kept moving down my chest, leaving no part of my untouched. His warm mouth closed over one of my nipples, and I let out an embarrassingly high pitched whine. He stopped and looked up at me, eyes wide.

“Shut up!” I snapped at him.

“I didn’t say anything,” he said with a grin. Without breaking eye contact, he dipped his mouth back down, running his tongue over it once again. I grit my teeth and let him continue, my body practically shaking at this point. His hand came up to tug at the other, rolling it with his skilled fingers. I didn’t know how much more I could take. Eren was usually so awkward and submissive, so I never imagined him to be so fucking good at this.

He finally detached his mouth, giving it once last lick. I sighed as he moved downwards even farther. He memorized every contour of my body with his tongue, moving from my abs down to my hipbones. “Pass me the lube, would ya?” he asked.

I huffed and threw it at him, a little annoyed that he was taking me apart and he hadn’t even touched anything worth touching and yet he was so calm. But I knew that in reality, he was just as worked up as me. The flush on his cheeks and lust blown eyes were all I needed to know.

He popped open the cap as he sat between my spread legs, coating his first two fingers. It been a long, long time since I’d done this. I wasn’t worried about the pain so much, more that I wouldn’t enjoy myself and Eren would feel like it was his fault. But when I felt the first finger skim across my entrance, my opinion began to change. I heard Eren groan as he inserted his index finger slowly into me, making sure not to go too fast. It didn’t hurt; just felt odd. “Shit Levi, I can already tell I won’t last long,” he said, watching his finger as he moved it in and out of me.

I let out another breathless laugh. “That good, huh?”

He leaned down until his mouth over directly over my ear. “You have no idea, Levi.”

I had to hold back a whine at the way my name fell from his lips. Just like that, he was back to the apparent sex god that he was. I felt a second finger join the first, only a slight burn accompanying it. Eren knew what he was doing. He thrust them in and out, stretching me. I had started to pant. It had never felt this way. Never felt so good to have someone else solely responsible for my own pleasure.

He went back between my legs, watching himself prepare me. I looked away, unable to handle the fact that Eren was so shamelessly staring at me like that, even though I’d done the exact same thing to him night after night. My eyes shot back to him when I felt an incredible heat wrap around my cock. His eyes were mischievous as his perfect fucking mouth wrapped itself around me, diverting my attention back to him. “You’re a fucking-ah! - _shit,”_ I rasped.  His fingers kept working me open as his mouth lapped at my cock, sucking at the head. My knuckles were turning white as I gripped the sheets tightly. I knew he wanted me to let go, lose myself.

He added the last finger, speeding up his mouth to distract me. I didn’t even notice any pain, so it must have worked. Maybe a little too well, considering I was getting close, and fast. “E-Eren,” I gasped. “Just fuck me,” I said, more desperate than I’d like to admit. He removed his mouth from my cock, but didn’t remove his fingers. He continued to move them slowly in and out of me.

“Just a minute,” he said, moving his fingers at a different angle and immediately striking my prostate. I couldn’t help but cry out as the sensitive bundle of nerves was hit. If it felt this good with just his fingers, I could only imagine what it would feel like to finally have him inside of me.

“ _Jesus, Levi,”_ he said gruffly. He must have sensed how close I was, removing his fingers. I winced at the loss, ready to have them replaced already.

I heard him open the condom, and without thinking, reached out and grabbed his arm. He looked back at me quizzically. “Don’t need it,” I said hastily.

He let out a shaky breath and closed his eyes, but shook his head. “I know, but let me this time. It makes clean up easier.” My heart swelled at his concern for me. Even now when he was at his limits, he was still thinking of me. I tentatively removed my arm, nodding at him. I wanted to feel all of him, but he was right; I hadn’t even thought of the cleanup.

He slipped it on and grinned down at me. “Next time, yeah?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Who says they’ll be a next time?” I said playfully.

His grin grew into something much more predatory, and shit I wasn’t expecting that. He leaned down until his lips brushed over my ear, making an involuntary shudder run through me. “You will, once I’ve finished with you.” At the same time, I felt his head nudge at my entrance slowly. I took a deep breath and tried not to show how much his words affected me. Eren was different when he took the lead. He was dominant yet gentle, and everything I needed from him.

He slowly pushed in, and I mean fucking slowly, trying his best to control himself if his shaking arms were any indication. It hurt, but it had been a while for me, so I knew it would. But overall, I felt an extreme sense of vulnerability that I’d never allowed anyone else to see from me. Sure I’d bottomed, but not with the amount of trust I shared with Eren. The pain was quickly forgotten as Eren kissed at my neck gently, making his way up to my lips. He continued to push in with light thrusts until he was fully sheathed, then stopped.

“H-how are you?” he stammered. I smiled, Finally, a reaction from him.

“I’m fine,” I replied, snaking my arms around his neck to thread them through his hair. “Let’s see if you can live up to your words from before,” I challenged.

Eren let out a breathless laugh, pulling back until only the head was left in. “I don’t know where that came from, but I’ll try.”

And try he did. With one snap of his hips, he buried himself back inside of me, letting out a groan as he did. I gasped at the feeling, not expecting it to be so intense from the start. Eren’s arms caged me in on either side of my head while I gripped him tightly. I didn’t know if he was looking at me for reassurance, but I nodded my head anyway. I definitely needed more. He kept up the same agonizing pace, dragging sounds out of me I couldn’t hold back if I wanted to. Fuck, he hadn’t even hit my prostate yet and I was already throbbing.

It took him a while to believe I was okay, but he finally starting moving faster. The sight of Eren above me, using my body for his own pleasure, was something I couldn’t deny made me ache inside. I never imagined how wonderfully sexy it would be to see his muscles moving and contracting over me. It didn’t take long to become a panting mess.

Eren was no better; a thin sheen of sweat glistened over his body as his mouth hang open in a serious of pants and profanities. It was truly a sight to behold. I’d seen Eren in complete bliss before, but this was the first time quite like this. iT was undeniably hot, and the thought made everything intensified. “Levi,” he rasped, sending a particularly hard thrust into me, “can I turn you over?”

I thought about. The angle would be much better, allowing him to get deeper and find that bundle of nerves inside of me. And the thought of him fucking into my while I was on all fours, whispering into my ear was enough to have my cock twitch against my stomach. “Yeah,” I said, nodding.

He pulled out of me and unwrapped my arms from his neck. His hands found my hips and turned me over with ease. I’d never admit how much of a turn on it was to have him throw me around like that, but fuck, it was. I propped myself up on my hands and waited. I didn’t have to wait long; I felt his slender fingers trace my spine up to my neck, making goosebumps arise on my skin. I hummed as I felt his lips join his hands, kissing down my spine. I felt that glorious pressure return to my entrance, feeling him slide into my once again. It was much easier this time, and Eren didn’t waste time in picking up the same pace as before.

I could already tell he was going deeper, making harder, faster thrusts. I wouldn’t be long before he changed the angle and-

“ _Shit!”_ I cried as he hit my prostate head on. I had forgotten how fucking amazing this was. “Right there, don’t stop,” I demanded. My arms had already started shaking from the white hot pleasure that coursed through my spine. And, Eren listened. His thrusts were aimed perfectly, nudging that spot each time. I moaned his name like it was a prayer, completely unashamed at this point. His fingers dug into my hips with each snap of his hips. I finally composed myself enough to meet his pace, moving my hips in time with his. We fell into a natural rhythm, him striking my prostate more often than not, and I was a mess under him.

“Come on Eren,” I pleaded, feeling myself coming closer and closer to the edge, “harder.”

He began to fuck me in earnest, holding nothing back. The room was filled with the sound of skin against skin and my increasingly loud moans. I couldn’t hold them in any longer. It wasn’t just the physical sensations anymore; it was the thought that Eren and I completely belonged to one another now, in every way possible. “Levi,” he said against the skin of my back, “I- _love you.”_

I almost came from those words alone. I was overwhelmed with so many sensations, I couldn’t take it any longer. I wanted to reach down and touch my weeping cock, but I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to hold myself up only one hand. “Eren…love you too,” I croaked, “Now f-fucking touch me.”

He didn’t need me to specify, wrapping an arm around me and fisting my cock with his hand. I almost cried at the feeling of him stroking me combined with the perfectly timed hits to my prostate. It was complete and utter bliss, and it only took a few more strokes to have the familiar heat pooling in my stomach. “Oh-fuck! Mm, Eren…yes, _yes,”_ I rambled. His thrusts became erratic, the pace increasing impossibly. I never knew anything could feel like this. I never knew I could feel so complete.

All it took was one last sinful call of my name from Eren to have me cumming, nearly falling onto the bed as I did. Eren’s arm wrapped around me, keeping me in place as he fucked me through my orgasm, still searching for his own. I cursed and moaned until I was completely spent, content on letting Eren do what he wanted with me to find his own ecstasy. It wasn’t long before he stilled above me, a low moan ripping from his throat. If I hadn’t just cum, I might of at that sound.

He held me up, keeping me from falling into my own mess. I was panting heavily, and from the sound of it, so was he. He pulled out of me gently, then flipped me over on my back, letting me fall on the soft bed. He collapsed next to me, and as I suspected, looked just as fucked out as I felt.

“Well,” he panted, “will there be a next time?”

I laughed halfheartedly, starting to feel uneasy at how sweaty and sticky I’d become. “Definitely. Many, many more times.”

He grinned widely and shuffled over to me. He leaned in, and I thought for sure he was going to kiss my lips, but instead, kissed my cheek lightly. I froze at the sweetness and gentleness of the action. How could the man who just fucked me into my own mattress be like this now? “I don’t want to say it too much- okay I do, but I don’t know if you want me to-but I really, really love you. You’re incredible, Levi. I never thought I’d care about someone like I care about you,” he whispered.

“Are you trying to make me cry again?” I said through a lump in my throat.

“No,” he said with a gentle smile, “I just want you to know.”

I hummed, pulling him closer to me until he let his head fall on my shoulder. I knew what I needed to do. I was never good with words, which was ironic given my profession. I could write them down, but saying them was a whole different story. But Eren needed to know. “I’m sorry it took me so long to realize how I felt about you. I hope you know you’re stuck with me now, Eren. I can’t…I just can’t not be with you anymore. I don’t think I could function.”

“Levi,” he said looking up at me with glassy eyes, “now you’re making me cry.”

I ran my hand through his hair. “Payback’s a bitch.”

“Levi!” he whined. “Way to ruin a moment.”

I chuckled as he huffed and buried his face in my neck. “Sorry. I meant it, though.”

“Me too,” he murmured.

“Hey- hey! Don’t fall asleep, we have to wash this shit off.”

He slid up until his mouth was once again over my ear. “What if I’m not done with you yet?” he nearly growled.

Well, shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, they love each other! I hope that was okay and as a good last smut scene because the last chapter is a short epilogue. I can’t believe this thing is going to be over soon! I have continued because of all of your enthusiasm and support, it means the world to me.   
> See you one more time.


	18. Happy Endings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eight months later, the boys have come a long way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter; a simple, short epilogue. I hope you enjoy it!

_Eight months later_

Levi and I drove in silence. It was a heavy silence, one that I know weighed on him. He was adamant about doing this, and I when I learned what he wanted to do, I knew it would be good for him. Hard, but good.

We’d been through a lot. Everyone in our lives had, really. Levi decided to take a break from writing, which wasn’t an issue considering the amount of money his two books had already amassed. He told me once that he wrote when he felt like there was something missing in his life, but he never quite felt that way anymore.

I had respectfully resigned from Wings of Freedom about a month ago. Even though I was on the fast track to becoming an editor and Hanji started crying when I broke the news, I knew it wasn’t something I could continue to do. Levi supported me fully, knowing I wouldn’t be happy if I stayed. For a few weeks I sort of drifted around, struggling with the fear and anxiety of not knowing what to do with my life. It was terrifying, but still better than doing something I didn’t have any passion for. I finally started to actually look for other jobs and am waiting for a few call backs from people. Levi had been patient with me, supporting me while I got back on my feet. At first I felt like I was taking advantage of him, but after a few major conversations, he got me to understand why he didn’t mind taking care of me when I needed it.

Armin and Annie ended up getting married, and out of the blue, Annie chose Mikasa to be her maid of honor, almost immediately ending their rivalry. I had a feeling Armin was involved in that one. It was a small, quaint ceremony filled with only closest friends and family. Jean was there, surprising just about everyone when he showed up with Marco as his date because it was obvious he was way too good for Jean. But, I was happy nonetheless.

Mikasa and Levi grew on one another, almost forming a friendship of sorts. It was just downright strange. Hanji was a constant presence in our lives, despite neither of us working for them anymore. Erwin also stayed close to Levi and wasn’t afraid to ask us to babysit when he and Petra needed it.

Overall, I couldn’t ask for anything more.

A bump in the rode brought me back to the present. I looked out the car window and noticed the air around us was beginning to darken. We had been driving for longer than I thought if night was already almost upon us. I glanced over at Levi who was driving without any expression on his face. “Doing okay?” I asked.

He blinked his eyes a few times, clearing his own mind. “Yeah. I haven’t been here for a long time. It’s always a strange feeling.”

I nodded. There wasn’t much else for me to say. I knew Levi just needed the silence for now to keep himself going. I turned my head back towards the window and let my thoughts drift off once again. I must have been a bit too peaceful because after a few minutes I felt my eyes begin to drop. I fell asleep quickly.

“…damned narcoleptic. Wake up.”

I was roused from my sleep by a shove from Levi. I rubbed at my eyes and groaned. He never did have the best ways of waking people up. “I’m up,” I grumbled. I unbuckled my seatbelt and looked outside. It was darker now, but still light enough to clearly see my surroundings.

“We’re here,” he said flatly. Neither of us made a move. Levi sat in the car, eyes glued forward. I sighed and grabbed his hand that was resting on his lap and squeezed.

“Come on. We have to go tell them, right?”

He gave his own sigh and nodded. “Yeah. Why did I think this was a good idea again?”

I laughed, looking at his stunning profile. “Because it _is_ a good idea. But if you don’t want to-“

“No,” he said sharply. “They deserve this much. And Isabel will haunt my ass if I don’t do it properly.”

I smiled. Levi never let anything stop him when he believed something was the right thing to do. “Well, let’s get out then. It will be dark soon.”

He agreed and let go of my hand, opening his car door. I did the same, closing it behind me. As soon as I was outside, I shivered. The air was cold and my thin shirt wasn’t doing anything to help me. I shrugged it off, rubbing my hands over my arms. Levi walked around the car and raised an eyebrow at me. “I told you to bring a jacket.”

“It was hot out when we left!” I defended.

The smallest smile crossed over his features as he rolled his eyes and grabbed one of my hands. I wordlessly followed him as he started to lead me through the gravestones that were on both sides of us. I didn’t like cemeteries, but then again no one did. It reminded me of the times I spent after my mother died, just crying over her stone. But, it was also a place to remember. Remember the good, the bad, everything.

Levi kept walking, and I could tell he had been here many times before. I wasn’t sure what was going through his mind. It was the first time he had ever brought me here, so I just followed him as he worked his way farther into the cemetery.

After a few minutes he stopped in front of two gravestones. They were simple enough. The left was engraved with the name “Isabel Mongolia”, and the right “Farlan Church.” My heart ached when I read the dates. They were so young. I’d known that they were, but actually seeing it was something different. These two people who were so important in Levi’s life, just taken like that. Levi kept his grip on my hand.

“I never actually talked to them when I come here,” he said quietly. “It always seemed ridiculous to me.”

I nodded in understanding. “Some people feel that way. But you want to this time?” I asked cautiously.

“Yeah,” he replied. “I just want to tell them about us in person, even though that’s not possible. Isabel would be so excited.” His expression changed to something like fondness for a moment.

I squeezed his hand. “Alright. Want me with you or no?”

He looked over at me with a furrowed brow. “Here, obviously.”

Well, at least he hadn’t lost his snarky attitude. That was definitely a comfort. I nodded and simply waited for him to start. It could have been minutes or it could have been almost an hour, but I didn’t rush him. Just stood and waited.

“Isabel, Farlan,” he started, clearing his throat, “this is Eren. He’s pretty much everything you both wanted out of a partner for me. You’d especially like him, Izzy. You’re both stubborn and annoying as shit at times.”

“Hey,” I interjected. He merely smiled down at the ground.

“Anyway, he’s become too important for me to let go of. I love him, and for some reason I’ll never understand, he loves me. I…I lost you both.” His voice became strained, but I only held him tighter. “And that, that messed me up. But Eren, he showed me it was okay to let someone in again. I’m forever grateful that he never gave up on me, because I’m sure it wasn’t easy at times.”

“I have something to tell both of you. A few weeks ago, I realized that I could no longer live without this idiot standing beside me- “

“Okay really, Levi?” I said.

“Just let me finish,” he replied. I huffed, but let him.

“I know I don’t deserve him, but I decided I’d try anyway. I asked him to marry me. And the most unbelievable thing about it? He actually said yes. So, I’d like to formally introduce you both to my fiancé.”

I gave him a reassuring smile as he looked over at me. I absentmindedly ran my finger over the simple band that now sat on my ring finger. When I saw the emotion in Levi’s eyes, I knew this had been the right choice. Even though Hanji and Erwin were his closest friends, these two got him through the hardest parts of his life. Not being here to actually see him get married is hurting him surely, but I think this was the closure he needed.

“I wish you two could be there to see it. Farlan, you’d have to keep Isabel from whatever the hell she would do at the wedding,” he said. “I just wanted you both to know I’m…I’m happy. Really happy, actually. I’m in good hands,” he finished quietly.

We stood there for a few minutes after. I was so, so proud of him. When I first met him, I would have thought he was incapable of showing this amount of emotion. But here we were. I cleared my throat, certain that Levi was now finished.

“I just wanted to thank the both of you,” I said, startling Levi slightly. “I know it’s because of you two that Levi survived what he did. I do love him, and I promise to do whatever I can to keep him happy. Because honestly? That’s all that matters.”

Somehow, Levi and I ended up hugging one another tightly. We’d both come so far. We’d been through so much. And now, we had a whole lifetime to look forward to.

“Hey Eren?” Levi asked.

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad I didn’t throw you out of my apartment when we first met.”

“Me too, Levi.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> C'est fini! I can't believe it's done. I want to thank each and every one of you who has commented your feedback, left kudos, or just taken a look at this fic. I didn't imagine it would have such a positive response.  
> It's always sad finishing them, but I feel like it was at a natural end. I'm hoping to start something in early August, so you can look for that if you liked this.   
> See you next time!


End file.
